Cold Nights
by LtStorm
Summary: An exploration and resolution of the blossoming relationship between Tomo and Yomi. Shoujoai.
1. Cold Nights: Chapter 1

I do not own the rights to nor am I in any way affiliated with _Azumanga Daioh_.

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**Cold Nights**

A small desk lamp cast vague shadows on the blue walls of the room, one of which twitched slightly as its owner continued to write into a notebook. Yomi stopped work on a trigonometry problem to chew on her pencil eraser thoughtfully. Her attention was drawn away from homework as her radio went silent, signaling the end of the evening music block and the start of her favorite radio show.

There was a soft static click and the room was filled by a man's charming voice, "_Good evening to all our listeners out there, I'm Tanaka Nakuro, but you can call me Naku." _

The man's female counterpart cut in energetically now, _"And I'm Ogino Michiru, and you can call _me_ Micchii!"_

The two voices spoke simultaneously, _"We welcome you to Naku and Micchii's _The Young Heartthrob Talk Show!_"_

A rap on her window followed by the sound of someone trying to force it open against the lock drew Yomi's attention away. She went to the window and drew back the navy blue curtains, feeling her heart jump before she'd even seen Tomo. As expected, the petite brunette was standing outside the window in pajamas and a housecoat, grinning widely.

Unlocking and sliding the window open, Yomi shivered as the cold January night rushed in. With a grimace, she beckoned Tomo in, who barely gave her enough time to make way before barreling through the window, beginning to do a little dance to warm herself.

The window was shut again, the curtains drawn over it to hide the bleak snowless winter night away. The room beginning to warm again now, Yomi rounded on Tomo, spouting more harshly than she'd intended, "What do you want?" Their usual game of Tomo being annoying and Yomi being annoyed was beginning.

Still dancing about and rubbing her arms, Tomo's insufferable Cheshire grin remained, "Just wanted to come in. Why'd you start locking your window?" Having satisfied her cold extremities she took a seat on the edge of the bed.

Shrugging off the question, Yomi went back to her desk, dropping heavily into her chair and taking up her pencil once more, "I'm not going to keep you company." She couldn't count the times she'd said that to Tomo on nights like these. The sheer number of times Tomo appeared in the dead of night made her wonder how she ever got any homework done. Yet she enjoyed it, having someone there to keep her company. Regardless of the obnoxious comments and interruptions, she liked Tomo's presence.

_The Young Heartthrob Talk Show_ played on quietly, sans any snide comments about its listeners from Tomo. It suddenly became apparent to Yomi that the scratching of her pencil and the talk show were the only sounds that punctuated the room. A chill ran up her spine, something wasn't right. She turned and looked towards her bed, surprised to find Tomo still sitting still and hugging herself, looking oddly small and fragile all of a sudden.

"Tomo?" she called quietly, the other girl snapping her head up in surprise, her brow knitted morosely. Getting to her feet, Yomi walked over and flicked the overhead light on, bathing them and the room in the diffused glow given off by the frosted light cover above. She jumped in surprise upon seeing how flushed Tomo's face looked and how red her nose and ears were in contrast, "Jesus, Tomo, how long were you outside!"

"Not too long…" Tomo chuckled lowly, that turning into a cough, "My parents were fighting again, and I thought they'd stop, so I went to wait on the porch. But they didn't…." She shivered more out of the surprise of touch than cold as Yomi draped a blanket from the closet around her shoulders.

"I'll make you some tea, I know your throat has to be sore. Just lay down and rest for now," Yomi said as she left the room. She hadn't expected Tomo to come over tonight. When Tomo came over on Sunday it was usually on her own accord, rather than fleeing her parent's bickering. Her parents never fought this early in the week; that would start about Thursday and end Saturday. It'd been that way for years.

Yomi found her mother sitting at the kitchen counter with her laptop, typing away busily. Their old blue and white speckled kettle was already simmering on the stove. Retrieving a mug from the cupboard, Yomi took a deep breath as she feigned keeping her attention on fixing the tea, "Uh, Tomo came over. I think she may stay the night."

Her mother didn't look up from the laptop, "That's fine. Just don't stay up too late. The futon's in the closet in my room." She, like the rest of the near neighborhood had heard Tomo's parents fighting, yelling at one another, many times before. And like the rest, she politely ignored it and did them one better by silently offering Tomo a place to stay in the mean time.

Back in the bedroom Tomo had complied with Yomi's orders reluctantly and was curled up on the bed, having situated the blanket to her liking. It hadn't felt so cold outside when she had first left. It had to have been the walk over that chilled her so deeply, she thought. She should've just come straight to Yomi's, rather than hanging around to listen from the porch. She usually did when her parents fought, ever since she'd met Yomi it seemed. It beat trying to turn the radio in her room or the TV in the living room up high enough to be heard over them, and at least they usually ignored her sneaking out, as opposed to suddenly focusing their anger on her for being too loud.

The sound of the door opening drew Tomo away from her thoughts. She sat up, keeping the blanket around her shoulders, as Yomi came to sit beside her offering up a still steaming mug of green tea. Tomo blew on it before taking a sip, sighing as it soothed her burning throat.

Sitting anxiously on the edge of the bed, Yomi watched her friend drain the cup of tea, then taking the empty mug and setting it on the nightstand by the bed. She still watched concernedly as Tomo drew her knees up to her chest, finally saying, "You're going to catch pneumonia if you keep running around in the cold in just your pajamas."

Tomo kept her eyes on her knees, still staying quiet. She fully expected this lecture, she thought, Yomi was always looking out for her, bandaging her up when she fell, yelling at her to keep her in line. They were good friends like that. Or Yomi was a good friend like that, at least. Always going out of her way to help, despite feigning apathy. Tomo felt something tighten inside of her.

"What possessed you to stay out there that long? What the hell were you doing?" Yomi hadn't meant for her temper or voice to rise, but it always did when Tomo did something crazy. The last thing Yomi had expected in response was a sob as Tomo buried her face in her knees. "W-Wha—Tomo?"

Her body tensing, Tomo moved her arms up so they enclosed her face, beginning to sob uncontrollably.

Not knowing what to do, Yomi wrapped her arms around Tomo's shaking form, drawing her into a close hug. She felt her chest tighten as she listened to Tomo's muffled sobs, at a loss for what to do. Yomi had never needed to comfort Tomo over anything more serious than a snack machine gypping her.

It felt weird being in this position; they didn't have a close physical relationship at all, and this was totally alien. The only time they made physical contact was when Yomi was smacking Tomo for acting up, or the few times Tomo made the dire mistake of pinching, goosing, or grabbing Yomi jokingly. Yet it was warm and comforting.

Yomi maintained the hug, still feeling the uneasy knot in her stomach as her imagination supplied disturbing explanations for Tomo's sudden breakdown. The sobs weren't stopping, and she couldn't think of anything particularly soothing to say, finally coming out with, "It's not that bad, Tomo, they always argue, and you've never done this before…." She thought for a moment, then adding, "Around me, at least." The uneasy feeling worsened.

Managing to compose herself for the moment, Tomo lifted her face away from her knees enough to spout, "They don't fight like this, they're supposed to just argue over something stupid and be over it the next morning. But they're arguing all the time!" She choked, burying her face in Yomi's shoulder this time, her words coming in shaking gasps now, "I eavesdropped on their bickering from the porch, and they're talking about getting a divorce!"

Yomi felt her throat tighten, the d-word dredging up the few memories she had of her father before her mother left him. She began to rub Tomo's back idly, partially relieved that it wasn't worse. "It's not the end of the world, you'll get through it. Your parents still love _you_, Tomo."

There was another flurry of sobs, and Tomo's strained voice, "No they don't, they constantly use me against each other in their stupid fights! I can hear them, my dad telling my mom how her daughter failed a test, and my mom yelling at my dad about how his daughter isn't going to do anything with her life. They don't care, no one cares about a spaz like me!"

Frowning, Yomi opened her mouth a few times, trying to piece together the words she wanted, and failing miserably. She finally pushed the first ones she'd thought of out, "_I_ care."

A somehow haughty sounding laugh came in response from the region of her shoulder. She'd never heard Tomo laugh like that before. "I know you just barely tolerate me for whatever stupid reason," Tomo's voice still sounded strained, about to crack any second, "Everyone does, because of how I act, and I can't blame them." She felt Yomi's hands release her, moving to her shoulders to hold her firmly and push her back to arm's length.

"I _do_ care about you, Tomo. We've been friends since elementary, I-I love you, I mean, we're best friends…"

Tomo's gaze came up to meet Yomi's. She was surprised to see the look of sincere worry in Yomi's eyes, and utter frankness with her emotions she so often hid, almost always trying to appear reserved and logical, unlike Tomo who wore her emotions on her sleeve. Quietly, Tomo said, "You really do…love me?"

Her cheeks reddening, Yomi quickly broke the gaze, looking across the room to her desk, "I-I guess, I mean, not in a weird way, just…" she broke off as Tomo's fingers pressed against her cheek, guiding her face back towards Tomo's. She swallowed hard, feeling an all too familiar twinge in her belly as she looked into Tomo's eyes. She began to protest again, to pull away, hundreds of excuses and reasons to get away running through her head. Her brain screeched to a halt as Tomo's lips met hers. Despite how short-lived the kiss was, it seemed to last an eternity, leaving them both breathless as they reluctantly parted.

Their eyes met again after the kiss, Tomo's holding a look of sheepish embarrassment, Yomi's a look of sheer surprise.

"You…" Yomi's lips kept moving as she tried to find her voice, "That…We…"

Tomo smiled meekly, "You do like me in a…weird way, don't you?"

Pulling away from the loose embrace, Yomi turned to look at the floor, crossing her arms, "You weren't supposed to find out… I-It's my problem to deal with."

Yomi startled at Tomo's arms draping around her shoulders, Tomo's body pressed against her back. "It's okay if you like girls."

Yomi lowered her head, removing her glasses with one hand, covering her eyes with the other as she felt a few tears attempt to form, "How did you…did you just guess?" She felt Tomo's arm release her and weight shift behind her as Tomo sat back.

"I overheard you trying to comfort Kaorin over her crush with Sakaki. You said you understood how it felt, and, well, I didn't think you had a crush on any boys, and it didn't seem to, you know, be of much help if you meant you had a crush on a boy anyway…." She leaned forward, placing her hands on Yomi's back and beginning to rub softly. "I didn't think that meant anything at first, but then I started noticing that you dog-ear the pages in your magazines that have girls on them. Especially ones with that model, what's her name, Yui…"

"Kuriyama…Yui Kuriyama…" Yomi repeated quietly out of reflex, her cheeks reddening as she added, "She looks a little like you…" She could feel Tomo's grin burn into the back of her neck.

"Really?" For a moment Tomo's voice sounded very much back to normal, "well, I am sexy enough to be a model!" Yomi's shoulders slumping further brought Tomo back down to Earth, an odd feeling of regret coursing through her. "Guess that makes sense now…"

"Was that…all you had to go on?" Yomi was beginning to wonder if Tomo really could make it as a detective for Interpol if she was that perceptive.

"Well…There was one more thing. I was looking for some throat drops one night while you were in the bathroom, and I rifled through the drawer of your nightstand." Yomi's shoulders tensed under her hands again, the taller girl looking reflexively to the drawer not a foot from her knees. Swallowing hard, Tomo whispered a small apology before continuing, "I found the pictures of me you kept…. The one with me in my gym shorts at the Athletics Festival and the one of me in my two-piece at Chiyo's summerhouse last year…"

Yomi could feel her face glowing red, covering it with her hands shamefully.

"S'okay," Tomo whispered once more, leaning in to hug herself to Yomi's back, "It's sort of flattering that you think I look that good…"

After a several quiet minutes, Yomi sat up and turned, Tomo releasing her and sitting back. Their gazes met, Tomo saying in a meek voice, "Does this mean we're girlfriends?"

There was an awkward moment of silence, the two staring into each other's eyes. Yomi finally broke it, trying to shrug nonchalantly and saying, "I guess it does" in her normal mildly disinterested voice. She smiled slightly, leaning in and pressing a quick kiss onto Tomo's lips, causing them both to blush brightly.

Yomi removed her glasses, setting them on the night table, both then silently laying down together, embracing each other loosely. Yomi settled into a comfortable position, and Tomi moved herself up to rest her head in the crook of Yomi's neck. Smiling to herself, Tomo felt her worries and problems melt way, the coldness replaced by a blissful warmth as she fell asleep in Yomi's arms.


	2. Cold Nights: Chapter 2

I do not own the rights to nor am I in any way affiliated with _Azumanga Daioh_.

Author's Notes and replies to reviews are at the end of the chapter.

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**Cold Nights**

Chapter 2 _  
_

_Yomi lay naked in a field of flowers staring up at the sky, watching white puffy clouds that looked like glued together cotton-balls float by overhead. A hand on her stomach drew her attention down to the girl lying beside her. She met Tomo's gaze, staring into her deep brown eyes, feeling warm inside. She dared let her eyes trace slowly down from Tomo's face, taking in her naked form partially obscured by the paper flowers they lay amongst. A smile parted her lips, and she leaned in towards Tomo, feeling their lips brush as her hand wandered up Tomo's body in return to…_

A piercing, screeching, headache-inducing sound filled the room, making Yomi's head throb. She rolled over on the bed, swatting the alarm clock's snooze button to silence it. Groping around blindly, she found her glasses on the nightstand, rolling onto her back once more and putting them on. She stared at the ceiling groggily, the dream slowly coming back to her.

It was the same one she'd been having on and off for months, maybe years. Or part of it, at least. The first time she'd just seen Tomo naked in the field, then she began seeing herself there as well, then she could see herself kissing Tomo, then it would get steamier… And as usual, her heart was pounding and she was drenched in sweat when she awoke. She sat up in bed, the memory of the past night clicking suddenly.

Feeling her heart leap just as it was starting to slow back down, she brought her fingers up to her lips. Had she really kissed Tomo? Admitted how she felt? She leapt to her feet; her eyes searching the room fruitlessly for traces of Tomo's presence. She lunged and grabbed the door handle, flinging it open to meet Tomo, who yelped in surprise, nearly tipping the contents of the tray she held onto the floor.

Yomi backed away from the door looking stunned, the shorter girl moving past her to set the tray carefully on the bed, then slowly lowering herself to sit beside it, "You kept tossing and turning and woke me up at like, six, so I figured I'd make breakfast."

Nodding speechlessly, Yomi took a seat on the bed opposite the tray from Tomo. There was a plate of toast, along with orange juice and cereal for both of them on the tray, one bowl of cereal being devoured now by Tomo.

Taking a piece of toast, Yomi began to eat it slowly, watching Tomo intently as her mind tried to work out their situation. After finishing the cereal, Tomo looked up to Yomi, smiling her usual Cheshire smile; "Do you always mumble in your sleep?"

Yomi choked on her toast, coughing and taking a quick gulp of the orange juice to get it down. "No, I don't!" she rasped finally, then coughing again, being helped by Tomo slapping her on the back.

"Jeez, you don't have to overreact like that. I was just curious."

Yomi's cheeks burned, she was being told not to overreact by Tomo, the most spastic girl in the prefect. The first question on her mind was the first to come out of her mouth, despite her intention to be more tactful about asking,

"So you like girls too?" She looked back as she said it, catching the momentary thoughtful look Tomo's face carried.

"I like you…" Tomo finally answered after a few moments of deliberation. "I never really thought about whether I liked girls or boys before. Can't blame boys for staying away from me anyway." She set down the emptied cereal bowl, picking up a slice of toast to nibble on thoughtfully.

Yomi's eyes fell across Tomo's body, noticing her pajamas were gone and had been replaced by a t-shirt and sweat pants, both a size or more too big for Tomo's petite frame, "You took a shower?"

Looking down at herself as well, Tomo tugged the neck of the shirt out as far as it would go, the fabric then opening well down past her collarbones as she released it, "Yeah, before I made breakfast. Should be plenty of hot water left for you, though. I just raided your closet, I'll bring them back later." She slid from the bed, picking up the tray after Yomi had finished the third slice of toast, "I'll go wash this stuff up before I go home to get dressed for school. See you back here to walk to school."

Yomi got to her feet, opening the door for Tomo, watching her as she walked down the hall and disappeared around the corner into the kitchen. Alone again, Yomi went to her closet, gathering her clothes for the day and heading to the bathroom.

Standing before the bathroom mirror, Yomi's reflection stared back at her as she disrobed. The feeling of nervous excitement that filled her stomach and made the toast feel like a bad idea was showing on her face as well. She tried a smile, feeling it looked far too fake for her. She looked away from the mirror, stepping over and turning the water in the shower on, testing it with her hand until it was warm enough for her taste.

As nervous as she felt over her new situation with Tomo, she also felt a great relief had washed over her just as the water did when she stepped into the shower. No more waking up in the middle of the night and feeling ashamed as she mopped sweat off her face with the sleeve of her pajamas. No more looking at the pictures of Tomo she had collected during moments of intimacy and imagining what it would be like with her. Now she had Tomo.

The anxiousness she felt rose towards a feeling of happiness as Yomi rinsed shampoo from her hair, then stepping out of the shower and beginning to dry herself. It had worked out. After all the months she'd spent in doubt, pitifully trying to pry Tomo out of her life, trying to figure out how to confront her feelings, how to just get over it, it had worked out.

Finishing adjusting her skirt, she pulled on a pair of the long deep brown socks she loved so much for keeping her legs warm. After grabbing her book bag and the lunch left by her mother she walked back through the house giving a quick check that all lights and appliances were off. Her mother as usual had left before six, just like every weekday morning. Pulling on her coat and slipping her shoes on where she stood on the patch of hardwood flooring by the door, she tried to force her face into the usual look of lax interest and stole herself against the waiting cold as she opened the door.

The rush of cold air made Yomi shiver despite herself. She shut the door behind her as she stepped outside, looking down the street to see Tomo walking towards her at a quick pace, light jacket unbuttoned and schoolbag resting over her shoulder.

"Just in time," Tomo called enthusiastically as she jogged the last few yards, throwing her arms around Yomi to the taller girl's surprise. "Now we can keep each other warm on the walk to school."

Glancing around to see if anyone was watching, Yomi felt the nervousness well up inside her quickly, making her feel nauseous. She pushed the smaller girl away, saying lowly, "We shouldn't be this brazen about it…What if someone at school found out? Can you imagine how our friends would react?"

Stepping back, Tomo looked thoughtful for a moment, tapping a finger against her chin, "Chiyo wouldn't understand; Sakaki wouldn't say anything even if she did care; Osaka wouldn't get it; and Kagura would laugh, then forget about it."

Yomi stared at her, Tomo responding with her trademark Cheshire grin before beginning to walk. Following after her, Yomi said after a few quiet moments, "Yeah, I guess they wouldn't care. But what if our parents found out?"

Tomo didn't respond verbally, keeping walking and dropping her schoolbag off her shoulder to hold at her side as her whole frame slumped slightly. After Yomi caught up and fell in step with her, Tomo seemed to liven up once more, saying in her usual energetic voice, "So, do you think Kaorin will ever get up the nerve to ask Sakaki out?"

"No, she won't." Yomi accepted the change of topic, looking up at the sky; it was a pale blue in the early morning light, a few thin clouds lining the horizon. She smirked bemusedly, "Though sometimes I wonder if Kagura would…"

Tomo cackled, saying in a raucous voice, "Come on, Kagura's with Ms. Kurosawa!"

"Don't say that so loud," Yomi retorted quickly in a hushed voice, "you could start a nasty rumor if someone else overheard you."

Leaning in close, Tomo said in a low voice, "All that time they spend with those private swimming lesson…no one needs that much practice." She continued to grin, then moving away and shrugging, "You don't really think they're together like that, do you?"

Yomi shook her head, "No, of course they aren't."

There were a few minutes of silence, Tomo beginning to do a sort of march, swinging her bag in her hand. She dropped back into a normal walk suddenly saying, "I've gotta copy your trig homework when we get to school."

Frowning, Yomi mumbled, "I didn't finish it…."

With her normal efficacy Tomo spouted, "Jeez, Yomi, you're getting as irresponsible as I am! You'll never pass any college entrance exams like this!"

With a threatening growl, Yomi lunged towards Tomo with an outstretched hand as she yelled, "It was your fault!" She stumbled as Tomo juked out of the way quickly, Yomi regaining her balance to see Tomo slowing momentarily from a run a few yards ahead to blow a raspberry at her. Unable to suppress a smile, Yomi charged ahead after her girlfriend, the chase lasting all the way to the school gates.

The high sun was only slightly warming on the school's rooftop at the start of lunch. Yomi and Tomo sat close to each other with hands clasped discreetly between them. Both had spent the morning in silent anguish, waiting for the chance to be near one another, to be separated from everyone else, and most important to be able to make some form of physical contact.

Checking her watch, Yomi sighed, lunch was nearly halfway over, and they had to spend at least part of it eating. She wished she'd brought her lunch up, but couldn't have reached it, especially after slipping away from the rest of their friends with the excuse of needing to talk to their chemistry teacher. She stiffened slightly as Tomo's cheek came to rest on her shoulder. Looking down, the smaller girl's face held a pensive look as she stared across the roof at the few trees that were visible above it.

After a few more minutes, Yomi broke the peaceful silence, saying hesitantly, "So, uh, do you want to see a movie this weekend…?"

Suddenly growing energetic again, Tomo sat up, turning to face Yomi on the bench, "You mean…Like a real date?"

Nodding, Yomi chanced a glance towards Tomo, who for a moment looked like she was going to explode with joy before she leapt and wrapped her arms around Yomi's neck in a tight hug then breaking away and getting to her feet a bit red in the face.

"Guess we should get back down to the cafeteria to eat…." Yomi said quietly, her cheeks red as well.

Tomo flashed her Cheshire cat grin, saying in a louder than needed voice, "Yeah, I forgot my lunch, I'll hafta' arm wrestle Kagura for half of her's. Better get back before she pigs out on all of it!" She headed towards the door quickly, not hearing Yomi's call for her to wait.

"You could've had half of mine," Yomi added in a slightly hurt voice after Tomo had disappeared down the stair well. She forced her hands into the pockets of her jacket as she walked back down to the room.

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_"don't make this a one shot, do a cold nights story for the others." _- yo-yo

While the first chapter of this fic does seem like a one-shot, I'd actually intended it to be a short series, with about 4-5 chapters around 2000 words each. I have the third chapter written up and in need of proofreading at the moment, the fourth is on its way.

_"You should do one for Kagura and maybe Chiyo or Osaka."_ - Pockygirl-2002

I've been considering trying writing a Kagura x Nyamo fic that would be semi-intertwined with this one. You can see where it would branch off in this chapter if you look. Other than that, I hadn't really planned anything, as this mostly was just an idea I needed to get off my chest.


	3. Cold Nights: Chapter 3

I do not own the rights to nor am I in any way affiliated with _Azumanga Daioh_.

Author's Notes and replies to reviews are at the end of the chapter

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Cold Nights  
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Chapter 3

For the third time Yomi checked her hair and make-up in the bathroom mirror. She had been pacing and checking her watch in-between trips to the mirror for the past twenty minutes. Less than five minutes before Tomo was supposed to be there for their date.

The whole week had been utterly painful, Yomi having to stop Tomo from coming over at night before it looked suspicious, having to stop Tomo from clinging to her every moment possible even in semi-public places, all despite how much she wanted it to happen. A whole week filled with furtive glances and short secretive meetings so they could hug, or kiss, then go their separate ways. They had braved the cold winter days, spending their lunch hour on the roof of the school where they could sit close and hold hands. Tomo seemed to enjoy being fed by Yomi. The only minor upside to the week, which Yomi felt guilty for enjoying, was the fact that Kagura and Tomo still weren't on speaking terms, at least giving Yomi a reason to be with Tomo elsewhere while Kagura was hanging around the others during lunch.

Going back to pacing up and down the hall, Yomi crossed her arms and tried to suppress the feeling of nervousness that had arisen in her. She was going to act like this was any other day out with Tomo. It didn't mean anything that it was a date, a real date, a real honest to God date with her best friend since forever. The red cashmere sweater she wore suddenly felt hot and constricting, she wanted to change into something loose-fitting, something that would hide her body rather than show it off.

The ding of the doorbell snapped Yomi from her thoughts, setting her running for the door. Opening the door, Yomi was nearly knocked down as Tomo lunged in and grabbed her in an uncomfortably tight hug. Reflexively trying to pry the girl off of her, Yomi growled in protest, saying, "Be careful, you'll wrinkle my sweater!"

Letting herself be pushed to arm length, Tomo grinned up at her, immediately noticing the lipstick and saying, "Since when did you do girly stuff like wearing make-up?"

Yomi frowned, saying defensively, "Since I started going on dates."

Finally allowing herself to be pried away, Tomo stepped back and said, "Who else have you gone on a date with."

Sitting down on the edge of the vestibule to pull her black knee-boots on, Yomi said in a low voice, "No one." Getting to her feet once more, she brushed off the back of her skirt and hoped the bit of uncovered flesh between the top of her boots and bottom of her skirt wouldn't be a problem. "Okay, ready to go?"

Tomo nodded, opening the door as Yomi was taking her long coat from the hook on the wall and pulling it on. After locking the door behind herself, Yomi buttoned her coat up as they started walking. The sky was beginning to cloud up and there was a cold wind starting to whip down through the streets.

"So, I'm your first kiss _and_ your first date?" Tomo said as they walked.

Yomo glanced down at her girlfriend, "Yeah, why?"

With a grin, Tomo moved closer, saying, "Just wishing we'd done this sooner!" Then adding in a seductive tone, "'Specially considerin' how hot you look in that outfit."

Rolling her eyes, Yomi replied in a tense voice, "Don't make me regret wearing it." She added after a moment, "Did you decide what movie we're going to see?"

With a grin, Tomo launched into an explanation of her decision making process that lasted until they were almost at the theater. By the time they arrived and got in line Yomi was beginning to regret giving Tomo free reign on the choice of which film they saw. The description she'd been provided with pegged it as a cartoon import she'd never heard of from America, and from the look of the line was aimed at a whole age group below them. There were at least two other groups of high school girls in line with them, which made Yomi feel a bit less embarrassed as she stared at the poster for the movie depicting what looked like an evil blue koala bear standing on a sunny beach.

Having learned long ago it was impossible to pass through the theater lobby with Tomo without having to buy something to eat, Yomi headed straight for the long line at the snack bar. To her surprise, instead of their usual bickering over what they would have for a snack, Tomo instead steered her on towards the open doors of cinema the movie they were to see was playing in. She hadn't even looked at the large display case of the candy sold by the concession stand. They sat in the center of one of the back rows of the theater, Yomi noting to herself there were three couples sitting behind them, the rest of the movie patrons in the lower rows in larger groups.

Once the lights dimmed after what seemed like an eternity being bathed in spotlights, Yomi felt a little less nervous, figuring that anyone they knew that walked by wouldn't recognize them in the dark. She slumped down in her seat slightly, supporting herself on the arm rests and watching Tomo stare at the movie previews. It made her feel warm inside just being with Tomo, even if she didn't care much for the movie. It was the same feeling she'd survived the past years on, just enjoying Tomo's presence despite herself.

It took Tomo waving her hand in Yomi's face to snap the girl from her trance, prompting her to say, "What?" in a quiet voice, to which Tomo replied by pointing at the screen and saying, "The movie's up there" with a playful smirk. Looking back at the screen, Yomi startled as Tomo's hand enclosed hers on the armrest between them. She looked quickly back to her girlfriend who was still smirking at her. They both looked back to the screen, their attention hardly on the movie at all now.

)-(-)-(

As the credits began to roll across the screen and the lights came back on Yomi and Tomo still sat together as the only occupants of their row. Their hands remained clasped together on the armrest as they had been for the better part of the movie.

The small crowd in the rows below them was beginning to make its way up the aisles and back past them towards the exit. Yomi was quick to remove her hand from Tomo's, getting to her feet and stretching her arms as if nothing had happened. Tomo rose to her feet as well, not looking as happy anymore as she took her coat from the vacant chair next to her's. They moved into the aisle and headed back towards the lobby, Tomo reaching and grabbing Yomi's hand in her's once again as they pushed through the crowd in the lobby towards the street.

Once through the doors, Yomi glanced down at Tomo apprehensively, who said out of the blue, "You know, the girl and her mother in that movie were Hawaiian."

"Yeah." Yomi glanced around at the crowd moving around them, the nervous lump in her stomach growing over the physical contact with Tomo.

"Well, you're Hawaiian too, right? Why don't you have a tan like them?"

For a moment Yomi forgot her nervousness, giving Tomo a perturbed look and saying, "I haven't been to Hawaii since I was three years old."

As she began to walk Yomi twisted her hand, quickly wrenching it from Tomo's who reciprocated by moving in and grabbing Yomi's arm, pulling them close together. Keeping Yomi's arm grasped protectively Tomo said, "Come on, we don't have to be this secretive."

Her face reddening, Yomi shot back from the corner of her mouth, "We—we just can't be seen like this in public," she tried gingerly to pull her arm away, Tomo clasping it tighter in response. "People don't understand, we'd get made fun of at school," Yomi's voice quickened apprehensively with every word, "everyone would be talking about us just like they are about Kagura and Ms. Kurosawa. And our parents would _disown_ us, we'd be total outcasts if anyone found out."

With a growl of frustration Tomo pushed herself away from Yomi harshly, crossing her arms and looking genuinely sullen for once as they walked. The retort that she'd hardly care what others thought died on her tongue as two familiar figures appeared out of the crowd ahead of them. Looking up from the sidewalk, Tomo felt a pang of guilt in her stomach as she saw Kagura standing before her beside Sakaki. For a long moment she and Kagura stared at one another silently, the tanned girl looking less mutinous than before, but still none too pleased to see Tomo. Yomi saying, "What're you two up to?" finally broke the tension.

Managing to tear her malevolent glare away from Tomo, Kagura managed a small smile as she said, "We were headed to the arcade," then adding after a moment's thought, "Where were you two coming from? Did you see a movie together?"

Yomi's heart began to beat faster. She tried to calm herself, repeating in her head that it wasn't any big deal for best friends to go and see movies together. She couldn't remember any movie she'd seen in the past four years with just Tomo; Chiyo and Osaka at the least were usually tagging along. Did Kagura know that? She couldn't think of anything to say; it felt like no matter what she did she was going to blurt out the truth.

A curious glance from Kagura and Sakaki pressed Yomi for an answer. Trying to compose herself, Yomi began, "Ah, we—" only to be cut off as Tomo interjected energetically, "Yomi bet me dinner I couldn't sit through a movie without getting up and going to the snack bar and bathroom fifty billion times. She lost, and now she's gotta pay up!"

A sense of relief washed over Yomi, who had begun to sweat despite how cool it was outside. She looked away in feigned embarrassment, wishing she could kiss Tomo right there for coming up with the story. The nod from Kagura indicated she accepted the lie, and Sakaki as usual was silently unreadable.

Grabbing Yomi's arm, Tomo began to drag her away saying, "And now we gotta go, 'cause I gotta go!" She gave another tug to get Yomi walking faster, feeling pleased with herself for the lie. They waved to their friends before the crowd filled the gap between them, Tomo keeping hold of Yomi's hand and leading her down the street.

Despite the contact, Yomi's nervousness waned slightly as she hoped it didn't look odd for her to be lead by a friend through the streets. Glancing at the people around her on the street none of them seemed to be paying her any mind, at least.

After walking a block or two Tomo came to a stop outside of a small restaurant with a colorful red and white awning and sign advertising what was allegedly the best spicy udon in the prefect. She released Yomi's hand finally once they were through the door, then saying, "Find us a table, I'll be right back" as she headed towards a small hall at the edge of the dining area.

"Where're you going," Yomi called after her questioningly.

Flashing a grin over her shoulder Tomo said back, "I wasn't kidding about having to go."

Yomi watched her disappear at the end of the hall, her attention then being drawn to a young woman no older than herself who was dressed in a waitress' uniform. "Just the two of you?" she said in a cheerful voice.

With a nod Yomi followed the waitress into the dining area, being lead to a small two-person table near one of the front windows of the restaurant. The waitress set two menus on the table, then smiling and saying, "You and your friend look over the menu, and I'll be back to take your orders in a few minutes," before heading off towards the kitchen.

Taking up and the menu and unfolding it to read, Yomi glanced around the interior of the restaurant. It was darker inside than she'd have expected, lit chiefly by Chinese lanterns hung from the ceiling. Most of the dining area was taken up small two-person tables such as the one she was sitting at, each one decorated with a small candle in the center. It seemed rather crowded now that she looked around, every table seeming to be taken up by a boy and a girl. A feeling of panic coursed up her body, driving away her appetite as she noticed every set of patrons in the restaurant was a couple. This was just the first place to eat they had passed, right? Tomo hadn't planned this, had she? Yomi raised the menu higher, trying to hide her face behind it, sure someone from their school would be here.

Yomi felt herself break out in a cold sweat when she saw Tomo coming towards the table. As the other girl took a seat and picked up the menu Yomi finally dared to lower hers slightly, saying in a voice she hoped only Tomo could hear, "Why did you pick this place?"

Still looking over he menu, Tomo replied as if she were totally unaware of Yomi's stress, "They have really good spicy udon, I thought you'd appreciate it."

"We have to get out of here, Tomo, what if someone from school sees us? There'd be rumors about us all over the school by tomorrow," Yomi continued in a hushed voice.

Yomi was startled by the sound of Tomo's menu being slapped down on the table. The shorter girl pushed her chair back, rising to her feet with hands on the edge of the table as she said aloud, "So it's just a rumor now?" before grabbing her jacket and storming out of the restaurant. Yomi was left at the table with a stunned look on her face that quickly turned to embarrassment as she realized how many people were watching the scene dissolve intently. Grabbing her own jacket, Yomi apologized to their waitress quickly who had just been on her way back to take their orders. Heading out of the restaurant, Yomi caught sight of Tomo not far up the sidewalk from her, following the smaller girl at a distance.

Clenching her fists and biting her lip, Tomo did her best not to scream, or sob, or whatever sound was welling up inside of her at the moment. She wasn't even sure where she was going right now, nor had she noticed how cold it was without her jacket on. As she walked the buildings turned from shops to houses as she entered a neighborhood, coming to a small playground in a vacant lot. It being dusk during winter, no children were around at the moment, the only inhabitants being a flock of small snowbirds scratching around in the dust.

Standing on the sidewalk still, Yomi watched quietly as Tomo charged at the group of birds suddenly, raising her arms and yelling, "Stupid birds!" as she neared them, sending the snowbirds scattering. Her mission accomplished, Tomo turned and crossed her arms, walking over to the swing set and plopping herself down.

After a few silent moments Yomi came to sit on the swing beside Tomo. Yomi kept her eyes on Tomo, who was staring vacantly at a spot on the ground a few yards away. Finally Tomo broke the silence saying in a soft voice, "Why do you always have to do that? Why can't we just act normal?"

"Because this isn't normal," Yomi replied solemnly, if a bit more forcefully than intended.

Tomo scowled, mumbling, "Only because you have to act so fake."

Without thinking Yomi shot back, "You're the one who always puts on a happy face even though you're miserable!" Then adding after a short pause, "When was the last time you were even really happy?"

Tomo turned to look at Yomi, tears collecting in the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks as she said in a quavering voice, "When you told me you cared about me. But I can see now you care about what everyone _else_ thinks about you more." She stood, roughly trying to pull her jacket on and becoming frustrated as the sleeve wouldn't unfold through force. She threw down the article of clothing with a frustrated growl and stalked off towards the street.

Yomi stared after her, wanting to bite her own tongue off and end the trouble it had caused her once and for all. After Tomo had disappeared around the fence that separated the park from the adjacent house Yomi finally tore her gaze away to look at her feet mournfully. A chasm had opened inside her chest, a representation of the sickening feeling of being alone she felt suddenly. A gust of wind snapped her back to reality as it chilled her to the bone. Getting to her feet slowly she felt wobbly, pulling on her jacket and snatching up Tomo's before walking out of the playground.

On the walk home Yomi was thankful not to run into any of her other friends. It was after dark now, and the sidewalks were more crowded than earlier, mostly with teenagers around her age. Tightening her jacket around herself, Yomi watched them quietly as they moved around her, all the happy couples holding hands, or giggling with each other. The restaurant from earlier looked even more packed now, and a line had formed at the theatre for the next showings of the movies. As she passed down the street towards her neighborhood Yomi was feeling worse and worse for what she had said. The last time she'd talked to Kaorin came to her mind, Kaorin who was beating herself up over looking so plain, and Yomi had offered a scolding speech on being herself. Yet here she was, acting like a hypocrite who didn't listen to her own advice.

Yomi's path home took her within view of the east face of Tomo's house, which included Tomo's window. Standing and watching it for a moment, Yomi wondered if the darkness meant Tomo hadn't come home yet. She had no idea where the other girl could have gone, much less without her jacket. She lingered on the street outside for a few minutes, wanting to say she saw the darkened curtains move, finally heading on home.

Stepping inside and shutting the door behind her, Yomi slipped off her boots and hung the two jackets on hooks by the door. She headed into the kitchen and towards her room, pausing upon finding her mother still eating dinner. Looking up from her plate, Yomi's mother seemed a bit surprised to see Yomi so early, saying, "Home already?"

Nodding dejectedly, Yomi came to sit on the stool across the island counter from her mother who quickly picked up on her daughter's mood. As she finished her meal and set down her chopsticks Yomi's mother said, "You're a bit dressed up to have gone out with friends, aren't you?"

Her eyes snapping up to look at her mother, Yomi's heart skipped a beat. She could feel her face growing red, praying her mother didn't notice. A part of her mind goaded her to spill everything, get it over with, and let the truth set her free. The other, much larger, part of her mind was busy trying to think of a lie to tell to preserve itself.

Yomi's mother's mouth curled into an impish smirk, "If it's because you were really with a boy, you can tell me, Yomi. I won't make fun of you for going on your first date…too much."

"No, no!" Yomi paused for a moment, thinking her response through, then adding, "Well, yeah…."

Picking up her plate, Yomi's mother went to the sink to wash it, "Didn't work out?"

Going back to staring at the counter top before her, Yomi mumbled an ambiguous answer, gathering her courage and adding in an audible tone, "Sort of…It's, well, Tomo…We had a fight."

Her mother began to wash the other glassware left in the sink, saying in a motherly tone, "She's probably just jealous, or protective. I'm sure she'll come around if you talk to her about it. Even the best of friends have disagreements sometimes."

"Well, I guess I should call her and apologize…." Yomi slid off the stool, feeling guilty over lying to her mother. It wasn't really a lie, though, was it? She simply hadn't corrected her mother's assumptions….

"Better sooner than later," her mother said as Yomi took the cordless phone from its dock on the wall and started down the hall to her room, not knowing what she was even going to say to Tomo. "Sorry" was all she really had to say, there was nothing to say to defend herself, and it was no use to start an argument over it even if there was.

It took several minutes of digging around in her things to find the address book she kept her friend's personal information in. It was a bit embarrassing having to look up Tomo's phone number, but there had been little before now that'd been important enough to relay to Tomo before the next day they would see each other at school. Not to mention how often Tomo came around at night to get away from her parents anyway.

Finally fishing the address book out of her desk, Yomi found where Tomo was listed in it, took a deep breath, and dialed the number. For a tense moment Yomi listened as the phone rang, almost hoping no one would pick up. Finally there was a click, and a woman's voice said in a forcedly courteous tone, "Hello?"

Hoping her voice didn't sound as nervous as she felt, Yomi quickly said, "Hi Mrs. Takino, uh, this is Yomi, could I speak to Tomo, please?" She startled as Tomo's mother yelled for the girl without moving the phone away from her mouth.

)-(-)-(

Tomo's room was dark, and had been since the sun had set that day. Lying on her bed staring at the ceiling, Tomo was shaken from her thoughts by the unavoidable sound of her mother yelling her name through the small house. Sitting up on the edge of the bed she looked momentarily at the paper, books, and stationary that littered the floor of her room, a product of her temper when she had arrived home and thrown the contents of her desk top into the floor. She almost wished something amongst it had been breakable just so she could be mad at herself over that as well.

Hearing her mother yell her name again, she finally rose to her feet, stalking into the living room where her mother stood staring at her crossly. It hadn't been long since their yelling match over Tomo being out without a jacket on had ended. Taking the phone roughly, Tomo headed towards the front door, her mother yelling after her, "Where are you going?"

Her temper already flaring, Tomo yelled back, "Outside! Can't I have some privacy?" and slammed the door behind herself. She could hear her mother admonishing her over doing exactly what she had earlier through the door, choosing to ignore it as she brought the phone to her ear and said, "Hello?"

Yomi bit her lip, feeling guilty now over adding further to Tomo's problems, "It's me…."

The reply of, "What do _you_ want?" she received from Tomo was almost more venomous than she'd expected. Trying to avoid putting her foot in her mouth again, Yomi took a calming breath and pressed on, "I wanted to say I'm sorry…. I know I was being paranoid, and, well, I'm sorry for acting like that."

"Do you really mean that, or is this just another lie?" Tomo replied acidly.

"No, I do mean it, Tomo!" Yomi's voice was growing more strained, threatening to crack as she spoke, "I just, could you come over tomorrow, after lunch? Please?"

There was a long pause as Tomo mulled over her choices. Finally, in a more subdued voice she said, "Okay…." An awkward silence set in, finally broken by Tomo saying, "Yomi, you need to look outside…."

A bit confused, Yomi went to the window of her room, drawing back the curtain to peer out. She was surprised to see the large flakes of snow cascading down in the light of the street lamp on the street. "It's snowing!" she gasped, watching the flakes gather in the grass slowly.

The two watched the snow silently, feeling a bit better just to hear the other's breathing over the phone. After a few minutes that seemed like fleeting seconds, Tomo said, "My dad's home. I need to go." The two bid each other goodbye, agreeing again to meet after lunch the next day before ending the call.

Yomi stood at her window still, watching the snow falling quietly. Her heart was beating fast, the sick feeling that had dogged her most of the night being replaced by a nervous hopefulness. Shutting the curtains once again, she gathered her pajamas from the closet and went to put the phone back in the kitchen before taking a shower.

_End Chapter 3._

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Thanks to everyone who reviewed the fic. Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out, I kept adding things to the chapter, and rewrote the whole thing three times. 

Yes, the movie they saw was Disney's _Lilo & Stitch_ (which I do not own, nor am I in any way affiliated with, of course). A commercial for it happened to catch by attention while I was writing, and the exchange about Yomi being Hawaiin jumped to mind, so I used it. It just seemed like something Tomo would want to see, too. I didn't mention it by name because for some reason using the names of movies, music, etc. really grates on my nerves in fics, and I didn't want to be a hypocrite about it.


	4. Cold Nights: Chapter 4

I do not own the rights to nor am I in any way affiliated with _Azumanga Daioh_.

Author's Notes and replies to reviews are at the end of the chapter

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Cold Nights  
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Chapter 4

Checking her watch for the third time in the past fifteen minutes, Yomi sighed and rested her chin in her hand. Sitting on the edge of the house's tiny foyer, she waited quietly for Tomo to show up as the minutes passed. It was half past three in the afternoon, how late could Tomo sleep in? Then again, she had said after lunch; maybe Tomo had taken it to mean to wait until later in the afternoon. 

Yomi's attention was drawn to a sound coming from down the hall. Getting to her feet, she walked slowly towards her room, straining to hear it again. There was another _plap_ from inside her room. She pushed the door open, peeking in. A third _plap_ came from her window. Walking over to it, Yomi drew the curtains back, her view obstructed by a thick caking of snow on the glass. Sliding the window open, Yomi saw Tomo standing in her yard, winding back and letting loose another snowball aimed at the window. Before she could react the tightly packed ball of snow hit Yomi square in the chest, making her yelp in pain, quickly wiping the snow from her sweater and reflexively yelling, "What the hell are you doing?" at Tomo.

Standing out in the yard, Tomo was for once bundled up against the cold properly. She began to laugh, seeing the look on Yomi's face, then calling back, "Come outside, it snowed a lot last night!" She flashed her Cheshire cat grin, beginning to pack another snowball as Yomi shut the window.

A bit of snow still flecking the front of her sweater, Yomi ran to her closet and gathered her winter gear, pulling on the heavy jacket, ear warmer, and mittens as she ran through the house. She slipped into her boots and opened the front door, immediately scooping up a handful of snow from the doorstep and packing it in her hands as she ran around the corner of the house. Dodging out of the way of a badly aimed snowball from Tomo, who now had a small arsenal ready. She launched her own attack, hitting Tomo in the shoulder as the other girl twisted trying to get out of the way.

The two chased each other around the yard flinging handfuls of snow in every direction in attempts to hit the other. The snowball fight ended when Tomo, in a desperation move, stopped around the corner of the house and waited for Yomi, who she lunged at and tackled to the ground. The two of them then wrestling about until they both lay on their backs out of breath at the end of the house where they'd started. The clouds had left and the sky was now a bleak light blue in the late afternoon light.

Still lying on the ground, Tomo spread her arms and legs, beginning to swing them slowly as if she were doing jumping jacks. After a few moments she sat up, getting to her feet in a careful attempt to avoid disturbing the spot she had lay on. Looking down at her handiwork she grinned, offering a hand up to Yomi who adjusted her glasses after being helped to her feet. The two stood quietly looking down at the newly made snow angel, Tomo then reaching down and gathering up a handful of snow, making Yomi jump for another snowball of her own. Instead of packing the ball into a projectile, Tomo rolled it around in a circle, gathering more and more snow. When it was the size of a beach ball she started another ball of snow, Yomi now catching on and starting her own snowman.

After the two had finished rolling up the balls of snow and stacking them, they stood back for a moment looking at the bleak figures. In lieu of sticks, coal, carrots, or anything else good for making a face, Tomo chose to poke holes for eyes and draw a line for a mouth on her snowfigure. She then removed her knitted hat and scarf, placing them on the figure, as well as sticking her mittens to the front so it looked to be standing with its hands on its stomach.

Similarly Yomi placed her ear warmer, glasses, and mittens on her own snow figure. The two admired their snow renditions of themselves, a wide grin growing onto Tomo's face. Walking around to the side of her figure, she crouched down, giving its base a nudge, slowly sliding it until it tipped and slumped against Yomi's figure. Going back to her girlfriend's side, Tomo grabbed Yomi's arm, pulling her close and saying, "There, that looks better…."

Her face reddening, Yomi couldn't help but smile despite her embarrassment. A gust of icy wind made the two huddle closer together until it passed. They gathered their articles of clothing from the snowgirls, then turning inside to get away from the freezing winter day. After depositing their winter gear in the bathroom to drip dry, the two moved to the kitchen, making mugs of hot cocoa for themselves before finally ending up in the living room on the couch cuddled together and wrapped in a blanket Yomi had taken from her mother's closet.

For once, Yomi was feeling pretty relaxed despite being in such close contact with Tomo. She felt safe, like her whole world was there in her arms. The only thing that made the moment less than perfect was the nagging feeling of guilt over how she'd treated Tomo the night before. She looked down at her girlfriend who was blowing into her mug attempting to swirl the marshmallows floating at the edge of the hot cocoa about. Setting her mug aside, Yomi cleared her throat slightly, saying, "I'm sorry for acting so paranoid yesterday, and before."

Looking up at her a bit perplexedly Tomo replied, "You already said you were sorry last night, once was enough," before going back to blowing into her hot cocoa. "Not all your fault, anyway. I didn't think that restaurant would look so…intimate when I found it the other day."

Nodding, Yomi looked at the coffee table sitting before them, "I was…I wanted to ask…You always act so happy, even when you aren't…Why do you do that?" There was a silent moment, Yomi feeling her stomach tighten, fearing she had asked the wrong question.

Slowly, Tomo leaned forward and set her half-empty mug on the coffee table, then sliding down and little and cuddling up further in Yomi's arm. She took a breath, exhaling slowly before saying, "You remember those English exercises we had to do in middle school, where they'd give you a quote or something and you had to translate it? One of the ones I did was, 'If I wasn't laughing, I'd be crying.' I guess…I just thought it made a lot of sense…." She rested her cheek against Yomi's shoulder, "It was just easier to act like I was happy instead of thinking about how my parents acted, and what I was going to do. I used to cry a lot, when I was alone, or just before I went to sleep…."

Yomi felt guiltier for bringing up the painful memories now, reaching a hand down to stroke through Tomo's hair slowly, "Sorry for bringing it up…."

Still resting against Yomi's shoulder Tomo shook her head, "No, it's okay." She smiled slightly, "There are better things to do than sit around thinking about it, like…." She slid her hand down from Yomi's arm, finding the taller girl's leg and stroking her hand up Yomi's inner thigh, eliciting a gasp of surprise from her girlfriend.

"W-Wait," the blanket suddenly felt way too hot for Yomi, her face red as she grabbed Tomo's hand, "We-we should go to my room…." Throwing the blanket into a pile at the other end of the couch, the two rose to their feet, Tomo taking Yomi's hand in her's. They stood for a moment before finally beginning to walk towards the kitchen and down the hall.

Each step felt more and more tense as they passed down the hall. Tomo opened the door to Yomi's bedroom, heading on in and plopping herself down on the edge of the bed. Shutting the door behind her, Yomi went to sit beside Tomo, keeping a little distance between them. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Yomi said in a pensive voice, "It's five o'clock now, we have two hours before my mom gets home…."

A painfully strained silence settled over them, both waiting for the other to say something, make a move, anything to end the awkward moment.

After several minutes with no such attempt, Tomo finally said in a quiet voice, "Maybe I should go…." As she rose from the bed Yomi caught her arm and protested much more loudly than intended.

Dropping back onto the bed, Tomo turned to face Yomi, their eyes meeting in a gaze filled with fear and lust. Tomo saying quietly, "You sure you want to…?" Yomi nodded in reply and the two slowly slid together on the edge of the bed, leaning in simultaneously to meet in a clumsy kiss. Their arms went around each other and they fell back to lie on the bed as things quickly heated up.

A few minutes quickly stretched into hours, both the girls lost in each other, dead to the world around them. The muffled call through the house of, "Yomi, are you home? I did laundry!" fell on deaf ears. The ramifications only became clear with the click of a door opening and the sound of a laundry basket crashing to the floor.

For a moment everything froze as Yomi and Tomo's minds registered the sound. Slowly they released their hold on one another, sliding apart and turning to look towards the door where Yomi's mother stood, her face contorted in a look of shock with her hand held over her mouth as if to silence a scream. She turned and walked away quickly, leaving the two girls on the bed terrified and confused.

Breaking away from each other, the two got to their feet. Yomi picked her glasses from where they lay on the nightstand, putting them on and looking to Tomo who was trying to straighten her sweater. They looked at one another for a quiet moment, both seeing the look of worry in the other's eyes. "I'm sorry," Tomo said, moving closer and hugging Yomi.

"It's not your fault, I could've stopped it…" Yomi replied, her voice tight. They stood for several minutes in the embrace, trying to compose themselves. The house was eerily silent, the only audible sound being their slow breathing.

"I-I think I should go home now…" Tomo said as she broke away from the hug. Yomi nodded in response, turning to face the door, her heart beating rapidly again over the prospect of having to face her mother. She was vaguely aware of the sound of Tomo exiting through the window behind her.

The room's door was stuck ajar by the pile of laundry dumped in its path. Knowing her mother wouldn't have left the house, Yomi slowly reached and pulled the door the rest of the way open, stepping over the basket and walking towards the kitchen. The edge of her mother's back at the counter came into view. Yomi could feel herself break out in a fresh sweat as she moved closer, seeing now that her mother was sitting with her face buried in her hands.

The end of the hall was as far as Yomi wanted to go. Her mother had never hit her other than administering spankings when she was a child, but she didn't want to risk putting herself within striking distance now. She swallowed hard, seeing the cordless phone setting on the counter by her mother's elbow and wondering how good her mother's throwing arm was. Trying to keep her composure so her voice wouldn't crack, Yomi said timidly, "Mom?"

Looking up from her hands, Yomi's mother's face for a moment still held the look of shock, quickly turning to anger as she pointed down the hall yelling, "Go back to your room! You're g-grounded! Send Tomo home, I don't want to ever see her here again!"

"What? Why!" Yomi yelled back reflexively. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd been yelled at by her mother, much less when she'd yelled _at_ her mother.

"You know why! Your room, now!" Her mother rose to her feet, still pointing down the hall.

Yomi began to protest, being overridden by her mother yelling, "NOW, KOYOMI!" at the top of her voice. Feeling tears come to the corner of her eyes, Yomi screamed, "I hate you!" back before turning and stalking down the hall to her room, attempting to slam the door to have it buffeted by the laundry pile once more. She threw herself on her bed, burying her face in her pillow to scream.

Starting to shiver from the cold, Tomo finally opened the door to her house, stepping in and rubbing her hands together to try to warm herself. Both her parents were home early, for once. At least one was usually at a bar with friends later than this. Tomo could feel the usual tension between them as they waited for whichever trivial reason they had to argue.

Attempting to avoid them, Tomo headed straight for her room quietly, trying to get between her mother in the kitchen and father in the living room without being noticed by either. Just as she reached for the doorknob to her room, her mother's voice rang through the house, "Tomo! Where is your jacket?"

Inwardly groaning, Tomo turned, facing her mother and saying as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "I left it at Yomi's house."

"Then you can march right back over there and get it!" Her father said from where he sat in the living room in one of the few moments of cooperation between him and her mother where they allied against her.

"I can't." Tomo said defiantly, quickly looking down and trying to think of a lie to tell as to why she couldn't go back. The truth presented itself temptingly.

Tomo made to open the door to her room again, her mother's voice booming once more, "You aren't going anywhere until you tell me why you can't go get your jacket!"

Clutching the doorknob until her knuckles turned white, Tomo looked back over her shoulder, saying in an acidic voice, "Because Yomi's mother caught us making out. Happy?" Looking between her parents, Tomo felt a sick satisfaction over the dumbstruck gape on their faces.

After a few moments of confused silence her mother gave her a demanding look saying, "Don't even joke about that."

Releasing the doorknob, Tomo turned to fully face her mother who now stood between her and the front door and shot back, "About what, being gay?"

From the living room to her side came her father's voice, "Don't you talk back, you're already on thin ice!"

Crossing her arms, Tomo's mother said in a menacing voice, "You're grounded until you decide to stop being a smartass and tell me why you left _both_ of your good jackets at Yomi's."

From the living room her father added, "And another week after that for your little joke."

Frowning, Tomo's temper flared, she wanted to drive the argument on as far as she could, make it as bad as possible. "I wasn't joking. I _am_ gay, and it's _your fault._"

Before either could respond, Tomo turned and flung the door to her room open, slamming and locking it behind her, pushing on the edge of the door to be sure it latched in its frame warped from its rough treatment. She heard her parents collect themselves eventually and beginning to yell at her, as well as the door rattling in its warped frame as they tried to open it. A few moments of digging through her closet yielded an old pair of shoes she'd never bothered to throw out. After donning the sneakers, Tomo went to the window, yanked the curtains aside, and opened it. She knew her parents would have long forgotten her in a few minutes time. While she thought now that placing the blame for her sexual alignment on them was idiotic, it was the groundwork for a fuming argument between her parents over which one's fault it really was.

Walking down the street, the cold night air penetrated Tomo's sweater in a few short minutes, causing her to shiver and hug herself for warmth. The only sound she could hear was the crunch of snow under her feet. She had no idea where she was going, having vaguely directed herself towards the school. As she passed Yomi's house, Tomo was thankful she at least couldn't hear any yelling coming from it, though Yomi's room still looked very dark and foreboding.

Tomo moved her hands to her pockets as she walked down the deserted street, her anger at her parents slowly turning on herself. She was mad that she lost her temper, that she didn't just quietly respond to their yelling and let them have their way. That made it easiest; let them yell, ground her, whatever, they'd forget about it in two days time. But instead, she had to argue. She had to get the last word in.

In a nearby yard, one of the few without a fence, a snowman stood at the edge of the sidewalk in the glow of the street lamps. As she looked at the snowman, Tomo saw an outlet for her temper, wanting to imagine it was her mom, her dad, and herself as she took a few quick steps and kicked at it. With her hands in her pockets, Tomo had little control as she kicked, the foot she balanced on sliding on the snowy sidewalk and coming out from under her. Everything slowed for a moment as she suddenly fell. With a painful thud she landed on her rear, rolling onto her side and moaning in pain as she tried to comprehend what had gone wrong.

_End Chapter 4.  
To be Concluded... _

_

* * *

_

And here we are, quickly nearing the part that has me most nervous; the ending. This chapter was purposely ended on a low note, and the next chapter will be the last that ends the story. Before anyone calls for my head over this, please wait and see the conclusion first. The ending for this story began worrying me about mid-way through chapter 3, when I realized I didn't have one. While I feel this ending is how it should be, I fear it may be a little weak._  
_

_"Nice chapter. I cant help but think that Tomo is a bit OOC though. Oh well, just update soon."_- dark lord miho

Yeah, she sort of is. I've tried to keep everyone in character, but as per usual with fanfics, this is blazing a trail through new country, and how the characters would react are guesses at best.

_"This is one of the two good shoujo-ai stories that I read. Normally, I'm not into shoujo-ai, but this one is very well written._

_My only little thing with this is that Tomo's family situation seems to have been ignored. You touched a little bit on it in Chapter 3 and maybe you're bringing it up again in your next chpaters. Just make sure that concept isn't just sitting still because so much can be done with just that._

_Another small little thing is that Tomo's surname is "Takino" not "Tsukino", but don't worry about that. The good writting of this story makes up for it._

_The situations are very realistic and believable. Definitly one of the best pieces out there._

_Keep it up! I'll be looking forward to the next chapter!"_ - Rushia

Thanks. Yeah, her family situation was sort of downplayed in the first chapters, as I was trying to keep them about Tomo and Yomi. These last two chapters are supposed to more be about their family's reactions, though I am afraid of how I've handled it.

And I have no idea how I managed to write "Tsukino," who at best guess I got from Usagi Tsukino in Sailor Moon, despite the fact that I specifically checked a couple of sites to be sure of last names. Ah well, could've been a worse mistake.

_"One of the better fics out there. I really like the direction you are taking it. Very well written and fun to read. Please keep writing!_

_I also like the possibility of a Nyamo/Yukari/Kagura love triangle, its not something that's really been explored in a fic before. Nice realistic approach to Yomi/Tomo as well.. you would think there would be some hesitation in high school about coming out._

_Finally in an earlier reference you made I liked Azu plus six as well, it just makes sense having Sakaki and Chiyo pair up when Chiyo grows up."_ - hyprlynx

Glad you like it, and I agree that the Nyamo/Yukari/Kagura love triangle hasn't been explored before from what I've seen. I was a bit surprised that there was seemingly nothing written about Nyamo/Kagura, as well. I already have plans for the next fic I write, and it seems to be a theme I've started where my choice of material is what I feel hasn't been fully explored yet. My first choice had been Minako and Rei from Sailor Moon, as well as Makoto and Ami, but I found fics by Crawlspace that I felt covered every nuance of that and left nothing to be said. That's when I moved on to Tomo and Yomi, and felt the fics written had missed a little about them, no offense to those authors.

_"I've been reading since your last update, and I'm sorry I haven't reviewed until now. Basically this is a good story. Nothing wrong or rushed. Although if Tomo and Yomi have been best friends since they were little kids, wouldn't Tomo know if Yomi EVER had a boyfriend? Seems like she wouldn't have to ask if Yomi ever gone out on a date or not._

_Oh well, that's not importatn. What is important is that you update this fic. It's really good. Update soon, please!"_ - Yuki Myco

I may not have phrased that line as I had intended. When Tomo said, "Since when have you been dating?" it was meant as more an incredulous, "Wait. Since _when _have you been dating?" as if she was confused. And yeah, I'm trying to get updates out as quickly as I can, but a month seems to be about the right amount of time to ensure I don't end up with a rushed beta.

_"it's the first time i found a story with Kagura and Ms. Kurosawa as a couple. great idea. i like the tomo/yomi parts but could you develop more scenes with Kurosawa please?"_ - fan-rei

Warm Days has at least a second and third chapter to come, I hope. I'm still working a few kinks out of that story and trying to decide where it's going to go. I think after I finish Cold Nights it'll fall into place quickly.

To all others who reviewed and I didn't respond to, thank you for reading, hope you continue to enjoy the fic.


	5. Cold Nights: Chapter 5

I do not own the rights to nor am I in any way affiliated with _Azumanga Daioh_.

Author's Notes and replies to reviews are at the end of the chapter.

* * *

**Cold Nights**

Chapter 5 

It felt like she'd been walking for hours. Tomo couldn't feel her face or hands. Her whole body was shivering, each step feeling like it sapped more and more of her quickly waning strength. Her thigh where she'd landed on the sidewalk earlier still stung as the material of her blue jeans drew across it with each step. Her wandering had taken her past the school already, the front gate shut and the darkened building locked up.

Tomo had no idea where she was going; Yomi was the only truly close friend she had. Chiyo came to mind, the huge house her family lived in had to have a bedroom to spare, but Tomo couldn't just show up unannounced in the middle of the night. Sakaki's family lived in an apartment, she recalled, though she wouldn't dare to try going there anyway. She didn't know where Osaka lived, somewhere close to Sakaki maybe, but she hardly knew Osaka, they were just friends by way of Yomi and Chiyo being friends. And Kagura she still couldn't bear to go near. She had nowhere to go; she was just running away.

Running away from home? It hadn't dawned on her before.

A familiar voice was calling out to her, she was sure. Tomo stopped in her tracks as a figure appeared before her, its shadow from the street light ahead cast onto her. Forcing her eyes to focus, Tomo saw Kagura there, wearing a red jogging suit and looking more than a little surprised over the meeting. Out of reflex Tomo tried to turn away and find another direction to go as she mumbled incoherent apologies. She was vaguely aware of how concerned Kagura looked as the tanned girl placed a hand on her shoulder, beginning to guide Tomo down the street. It sounded to Tomo like Kagura's voice was coming from down a tunnel. It was hard to make out what was being said, but Tomo recognized the words 'get you home,' trying to wrench herself away from Kagura's grip in response. Searing pain arced through her throat as Tomo forced herself to say, "I can't go home!"

For a moment the two stood still, Tomo concentrating her gaze on Kagura who looked back with utmost concern. Finally Kagura placed her hand on Tomo's shoulder once more, beginning to guide her down the street in the other direction.

They eventually came to a house looking very similar to all the others in the neighborhood, though Tomo was sure it wasn't her own. Kagura was still guiding her with a hand on Tomo's shoulder. Tomo kept her gaze down with her arms still crossed tightly in an exercise in futility against the winter night. The cold was suddenly stripped away and replaced by cozy warmth that felt numbingly hot to her frozen body. Though Tomo still shivered and the numbness resided, it felt much better now. Kagura had pushed her to sit on a couch, then getting her to turn to lay down and have her shoes removed. A blanket was drawn over her and Tomo finally lay hovering between consciousness and sleep, her face contorted in a look of worry.

)-(-)-(

It seemed like hours had passed, Yomi still lay with her face buried in the pillow. Her throat felt raw and scratchy now from screaming, and she was sure she'd beat the stuffing out of the pillow afterwards. This was the first time she had cried in years; she didn't tear up over sad movies, and didn't start boo-hooing over every little spat she had with friends, she wasn't supposed to cry. Being totally furious with her mother was a strange and frightening feeling. They had gotten along well, even through her teen years. They had never butted heads before, and it made her wonder sometimes if it was weird that they hadn't. Everyone else seemed to have stories about issues that they had with their parents, and how controlling their parents tried to be.

A polite rap on the door before it swung open drew Yomi's attention from her thoughts. She stayed still, feigning sleep as she heard the overhead light click on and the sounds of her mother collecting the laundry dumped on the floor up in its basket once more. She felt her mother's weight on the edge of the bed, and after a few quiet moments heard her mother's voice say in its normal cool and collect tone, "I'm sorry for reacting like that, Yomi." She paused for a moment, sighing, "I had never expected to walk in on you in that situation with—with another girl. I guess for a moment I sort of blamed myself, and projected my anger onto you."

Slowly, Yomi lifted her face from her pillow, turning to look up at her mother, "It wasn't anything you did or didn't do, mom. It just sort of…happened."

Her mother smiled down at her sadly, "You know, every lecture I had planned if this every happened depended on it being a boy."

Yomi couldn't help but smile in return, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I was afraid that…well, that this was going to happen. Just you wouldn't be forgiving."

Her mother reached down, taking Yomi's hand in hers and squeezing it reassuringly, "I still love you, Yomi. Whatever paths in life you choose, I'll always love you."

Moving to sit up, Yomi straightened her glasses and clutched the pillow over her lap, still feeling the damp spot on it from her tears, "I still love you too, mom. I didn't mean what I said earlier."

Her mother nodded, looking away from Yomi, "I know. It wasn't right for me to yell at you like that anyway. And since I do have your best interests at heart, as well as my senses back now, I want you to know that you and Tomo can come here to…be together."

Yomi's cheeks reddened in embarrassment and she mumbled and fidgeted with the corner of the pillow case, "We don't, I mean, it won't, we—"

Her mother cut her off, "I don't want to think that I pushed you two into using a sleazy motel, or somewhere even worse. Just try to keep it quiet, and, I don't know, hang a sock on the doorknob when Tomo's over. That's how my roommates and I did it in college when we had boys over."

Yomi gawked at her mother, who seemed to catch on to what she had said after a moment and added, "Not that I ever actually did such a thing. It was just the system we planned in case it did happen."

The sound of the phone ringing drifted softly into the room, Yomi's mother standing and starting towards the kitchen saying, "Now who could that be?"

Yomi sat in silence for a moment, then setting the pillow aside and sliding from the bed to follow her mother. As she entered the kitchen her mother turned and held the phone out to her saying, "It's for you."

A flutter of anxiousness shot through Yomi, it had to be Tomo calling. Taking the phone quickly she said presumptuously, "Tomo?"

A familiar, yet unexpected, voice responded, _"Yomi? This is Kagura,"_ Yomi's anxiousness twisted into embarrassment then concern as Kagura continued, _"I was out jogging earlier, and I ran into Tomo. She was walking around without a coat on, and she wouldn't let me take her home, so I brought her back to my house. I think you need to come over, she looks really sick, and when I tried calling her house her mom hung up on me."_

"I'll be right over," Yomi responded quickly, then cutting the phone off and dropping it into its dock on the wall as she headed for the bathroom while saying through the house to her mother, "Tomo's been walking around outside, she's at Kagura's, I've got to go get her!" Grabbing her heavy down jacket Yomi pulled it on, then taking the jacket Tomo left as she ran back through the house and stepped into her shoes, vaguely hearing her mother saying something as she ran out the door.

It was far past dark now, the street lamps providing the only illumination on the cold, clear night. Without realizing it Yomi was running faster than she ever had in her entire life. As she turned down a different street and shot through an alley between two houses her lungs were beginning to burn in protest of the gulps of icy air she was sucking in. Her legs ached as well, but both were pushed out of her mind as she tried to remember what Kagura's house looked like.

Nearly being tripped by some garbage cans on the sidewalk Yomi finally laid eyes on the house Kagura always stopped at when the whole group walked the long way home after school. Bursting through the waist-high gate in the wall around the yard Yomi barely stopped before she collided with the front door, knocking furiously until it opened.

Yomi knew she must have looked a fright to Kagura, her face flushed from the run and her hair disarrayed as she stood there trying to catch her breath. Kagura herself didn't look much better, jittery and anxious as she stepped back, holding an arm out towards the rest of the house and mumbling, "She's on the couch," apparently at a loss for anything else to say.

Walking past the tanned girl Yomi stepped out of her shoes, quickly making her way towards where the living room looked to be. Seeing Tomo's frail form on the couch made her heart twist. Most of the smaller girl's face was pale in contrast to her rosy frost bitten nose and cheeks. Pressing a hand over Tomo's forehead Yomi could feel the fever that had set in. Having to bite back tears as she dropped to her knees by the couch, Yomi said in a quavering voice, "You idiot, how could you do this?"

Apparently roused by Yomi's voice, Tomo cracked her eyes open in a squint against the overhead light shining in her face. In a raspy voice she managed to say, "I'm sorry, Yomi." Slowly Tomo slid her hand from under the blanket, holding it up so Yomi could take it in her's.

Yomi still had to fight back tears as she squeezed Tomo's hand reassuringly, she didn't want to cry in front of Tomo, much less Kagura. Turning slowly, Yomi glanced back over her shoulder at Kagura who stood at the edge of the living room looking more than a little dumbfounded. Yomi would have laughed at the irony of the situation had it not been at her own expense. Kagura, the one with the vicious rumor about her sexuality wandering their school, watching her and Tomo holding hands. The phone ringing brought some small relief to Yomi who knew Kagura was on the verge of asking the question she didn't want to answer.

Kagura disappearing into the kitchen to answer the phone, Yomi turned back to Tomo who was still looking up at her. With a ghost of a smile Tomo said, "Guess we should've been more careful," before shutting her eyes once more.

Her frown deepening, Yomi quietly shot back, "No, we shouldn't have been so secretive, my mom would've been fine with it if I'd told her earlier, and this wouldn't have happened…."

For a few silent minutes both stayed as still as possible, listening to each other's breathing and simply enjoying the other's presence. Opening her eyes in a squint again, Tomo peered up at Yomi, trying her best to smile further. In her hoarse voice she said, "I love you."

Startled over the realization neither had said what seemed like such a basic phrase of a relationship to the other before, Yomi quickly repeated back, "I love you too," squeezing Tomo's hand as if to reinforce the words. A polite cough drew her attention back to the doorway at the edge of the living room where Kagura stood once again, looking a bit sheepish, as if she'd heard something she wasn't supposed to.

Kagura scratched the back of her head idly, looking down at her feet, "That was your mom, Yomi, she was asking how to get here. She said she'd have her car over here to take you and Tomo home in a few minutes." She paused for a moment, then adding, "Uh, I'm gonna go change out of my jogging clothes," before heading through into the back of the house and out of sight at an anxious pace.

The room once again cast into silence, Yomi shifted around to get more comfortable where she kneeled by the couch. Slowly she reached a hand up to touch Tomo's forehead once again feeling the girl's sweat soaked bangs and the heat of her fever. Moving her hand off Tomo's forehead, Yomi slid it down to cup Tomo's cheek softly, causing Tomo to open her eyes slowly. The two held each other's gaze solemnly, for what felt like an eternity and infinitesimally short moment at the same time.

The door bell rang finally, Kagura passing by the edge of the living room now dressed in what passed for her knock-around clothes to answer the door. Yomi released Tomo's hand and got to her feet as her mother appeared behind her. Still in the hazy state, Tomo did her best to sit up unaided after the blanket was drawn off her. While upright all she could do was hug herself and shiver as Yomi and her mother pushed Tomo's shoes back on her feet. Yomi's mother whispered reassuringly to Tomo who had her heavy winter jacket draped around her shoulders by Yomi as the two women hoisted her to her feet.

Once redressed for going out into the freezing night Tomo was lead through the house by Yomi's arm around her shoulders. Kagura still stood quietly at the edge of the foyer, watching in a mixture of confusion and concern. As she passed the tanned girl Tomo mumbled an uncharacteristic apology, Yomi and her mother thanking Kagura for her help as they lead Tomo out the door.

The small sedan sat with its engine still running as close as Yomi's mother could get it to the sidewalk. A gust of arctic wind made all three shiver as they passed through the yard to the car. Yomi quickly opened the nearer back door, guiding Tomo in to sit before shutting the door and running around to the other side to hop in. Sliding across the seat to Tomo, Yomi drew the shivering almost frail looking form of Tomo into a tender embrace.

Taking the driver's seat, Yomi's mother put the car into gear without looking, easing it down the street while she watched her daughter discreetly in the rearview mirror. This was certainly a lot to take in, and she still wondered if this whole incident was a dream that she had yet to awake from. It was a relief in some ways, however. Her own mother had warned her during the divorce proceedings with Yomi's father that their daughter could be scarred for life by it, and for years she had wondered if that was the reason Yomi had so few friends and showed so little interest in others. Though relief that it was, she still felt somewhat guilty, as if she were at fault in some way for her daughter's preferences in the end.

As the car turned at the end of the block Tomo roused slightly, turning and wrapping her arms around Yomi's mid-section as she shivered again. It was hard for Tomo to think; she just wanted to curl up in a warm bed and sleep her fever off. Right now she felt like she was floating through a dream, seeing and hearing everything from down a long tunnel. Her throat was sore, her cheeks and nose were numb again, as were her hands, and she couldn't stop herself from shivering. Feeling Yomi re-double her hold, Tomo slid down a bit further, pressing her face into Yomi's chest, causing Yomi to try to nudge her head back up to no avail.

Tomo continued to hover between wakefulness and sleep, vaguely feeling the car draw to a stop, shivering and hugging herself when Yomi's warm embrace suddenly left her. She raised her gaze for a moment, looking around for Yomi, mumbling the girl's name softly. Through the car's windows she could see they were in the narrow drive beside Yomi's house. Arms slipped around her from behind, drawing her out of the car and back into Yomi's embrace to walk her inside.

Once they were inside Yomi guided Tomo down the hall to the bedroom, her mother stopping in the kitchen. Inside the room Yomi removed her own jacket, then helping Tomo out of her's. The two articles of clothing were discarded to the floor while Yomi gathered some of her pajamas out of the closet and went about helping Tomo out of her clothes and into the pajamas.

Yomi's mother entered the room with a glass filled with a murky yellow mixture that almost looked like lemonade in one hand and a thermometer in the other. At her mother's request Yomi nudged Tomo to sit on the edge of the bed, her mother then instructing Tomo to open her mouth and raise her tongue so the thermometer could be inserted. Yomi's mother then counted the seconds off on her wrist watch, finally removing the thermometer and holding it up to the overhead light to examine, saying in a both relieved and worried voice, "38 degrees, just a slight fever."

She then handed the glass to Tomo saying, "Drink it all, it'll make your throat feel better." Collecting the discarded jackets from the floor, Yomi's mother then said in a parental tone, "I want both of you in bed as soon as Tomo finishes her drink. You'll both end up with pneumonia after running around outside like you did tonight if you aren't careful."

After her mother had left the room Yomi went about changing into her pajamas, Tomo having finished the drink by the time she was redressed. After getting Tomo situated under the covers Yomi took the emptied glass back to the kitchen, setting it in the sink to be washed, then hugging her mother goodnight before going back to the bedroom.

No sooner than Yomi had touched the sheets, Tomo rolled over to face her, drawing her into a tight hug. Trying to settle herself down, Yomi began to idly stroke her fingers through Tomo's short hair, mumbling, "Good night," then adding in a worried voice, "Please be better in the morning."

To Yomi's surprise, Tomo replied in a raspy voice as she looked up at Yomi, "I will be…." Their gazes locked meaningfully, Yomi then leaning down to kiss Tomo on the forehead before both settled in to sleep again, finally protected by each other from the cold night.

_End Chapter 5.  
To be Concluded... _

* * *

Well, this chapter took far longer than I'd expected to finish out. I'm not sure why, but I kept making little changes here and there. I'm sure many of you will be happy to know that I've decided Cold Nights needs one more chapter after this one, as I feel there are still a few loose-ends that need to be tied up, and couldn't think of a way to fit them in here. This chapter has also gotten Warm Days back on track, and I should be starting work on it again very soon. The next chapter is now the currently planned end point, though I may be inspired again. There's also an epilogue I'm working on, as I feel most movies and books could really use one to show what became of the characters.

_"This is an all-around great story. You took characters from a (relatively speaking) comedy, and created a further emotional attachment with ease, which makes your story work since it's quite believable. This attachment to these characters was what left me wantimg more after I finished watching the series, and is why I ended up at this site._

From what you wrote you seem pretty intent on ending it soon. However, there's still plenty of places you can take this story and I hope you keep your mind open on exploring them in the future. But, as you advised, I'll wait for your conclusion first. Not that you had to say that, you've got me hooked anyhow :)" -Azumi86

Yeah, the attachment to the characters and what I felt was a lack of stories exploring this is what got me writing this in the first place. I don't want to risk drawing this out, but I am considering what else I need to add to make it feel complete. As you can see, that made me do another chapter, as well as the epilogue.

_"Salutations, this is a wonderful piece of work.  
I like how there´re few and long chapters so far as that makes for the best reading in my opinion.  
I can imagine Yomi being concerned about appearences like that.  
Oh, and a little fact you´ve seemed to mess up.  
Yomi isn´t actually Hawaiian, it´s her chest that is.  
It´s a gag on how japanese normally have small breasts I´m pretty surprised you´ve mixed those up actually, but it´s a slip that could happen to anybody I guess.  
Unless, of course, you purposely made Yomi a Hawaiian for this fic for some reason.  
Or maybe I´ve just misunderstood and you never meant to give that impression, but only meant it to be a gag.  
If which you did, I´m sorry._

Added to Favourite Stories" -TheTrueWolfBrother

Thanks, I try to make sure the chapters each run 2000 words, as there's little more annoying than reading through twelve 500 word chapters rather than three 2000 word ones. As for Yomi's ethnicity, I think I read too much into that joke, or my memory's gone fuzzy on it. Serves me right for not bothering with any fact checking and just relying on my memory. Yomi's hair color, I think, threw me more than her build, really. But, yeah, I had her pegged as being half-American/Hawaiian. I didn't really have any purpose to make her half-Hawaiian other than so I could get that little joke in. It wasn't really something key to the story, so I suppose I'll leave it alone, as it does mostly boil down to just a gag.

To all others who reviewed and I didn't respond to, thank you for reading, hope you continue to enjoy the fic.


	6. Cold Nights: Chapter 6

I do not own the rights to nor am I in any way affiliated with _Azumanga Daioh_.

Author's Notes and replies to reviews are at the end of the chapter.

* * *

**Cold Nights**

Chapter 6

It was still in the wee hours of the morning to most when Tomo awoke. The clock said ten after eight, and for a Sunday morning, it was hardly a time for anyone to be awake. Though she still felt a little sickly, her condition had improved greatly since the night before. She could think much more coherently now, staying perfectly still where she lay, counting Yomi's quiet breaths. Unable to get back to sleep, Tomo opted to try a stealthy retreat from the bed. She was surprised how deep a sleeper Yomi was, undisturbed by Tomo inching from her grasp then sliding down to the foot of the bed under the covers. Standing at the edge of the bed, Tomo tugged the covers back up over Yomi, pausing for a reflective moment to watch her girlfriend sleep.

The past night was an awesome reminder of how deeply Yomi cared for her. It made Tomo feel safe, though a bit guilty, that Yomi would go to any lengths to save her from her own stupidity. The mistakes she'd made before her foray into the icy night suddenly came back to Tomo, what she had yelled at her parents, how she'd stormed out of her house. Her stomach growling its disapproval of missing dinner the past night, Tomo headed for the kitchen, her mind filled with new fears and worries.

To her surprise, Yomi's mother was already up, dressed, and sitting at the counter eating breakfast. Tomo paused at the edge of the kitchen, not knowing how to approach Yomi's mother after what had happened, nor how to word the gratitude she wanted to express. Tomo's presence didn't go unnoticed for long, Yomi's mother looking up from her plate and smiling warmly as she said, "Good morning, Tomo." Not forgetting her hospitality for a moment, Yomi's mother added, "Would you like some breakfast?"

Barely able to do anything other than nod dumbly, Tomo said back, "Just a bowl of cereal, I can get it." She went to the kitchen cabinet with the bowls, then the cereal, then took the milk from the refrigerator. As many times as she'd raided this kitchen while visiting, it was hardly a surprise Tomo knew exactly where everything was in it.

After she came back to the counter an awkward silence settled in, punctuated only by the sound of Tomo's spoon in the cereal. After a few minutes of using the cereal as an excuse not to speak, Tomo finally set her spoon down, wiping her mouth on the sleeve of her pajamas and looking across the counter at Yomi's mother, who had picked up the morning newspaper to read. In her most level voice Tomo said, "I'm sorry about…well, everything…please don't be mad at Yomi over it, Mrs. Mizuhara."

Looking up from her paper, Yomi's mother said in a calm voice, "I'm not mad at either of you, just surprised. I don't believe any parent is fully prepared for when they find out about their child's first love, much less when there are special circumstances involved." Folding the paper and setting it on the counter, Mrs. Mizuhara then gave Tomo a serious look, "However, I do wonder why you were walking around out in the cold in the middle of the night."

Going back to stirring her cereal and watching it intently, Tomo said quietly, "I sort of told my parents…They weren't happy…I know it was a stupid move, but I just couldn't help it."

Sighing, Mrs. Mizuhara removed her glasses, wiping the lenses with the tail of her shirt, "There were more tactful moments to do it, yes. But you can't take back something you've said already. If you need a place to stay until they cool down, you're more than welcome here."

Tomo nodded gratefully, "Thank you, Mrs. Mizuhara, you're the best mom ever."

Smiling for a moment, Mrs. Mizuhara's expression then turned serious once more, "Though, since you are still a minor, if they demand you come home, I'm afraid there's not much me nor Yomi can do to stop them."

Never taking her gaze off of her cereal, Tomo said solemnly, "They won't do that. I doubt they even remember why we were fighting last night," she paused to gather herself, taking a deep quavering breath, "the only thing they were mad about was probably 'cause now I won't get married and they won't get a big fat dowry out of it."

Taking her cleared plate to set it in the sink behind Tomo, Yomi's mother then placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, saying in a motherly voice, "You'll get through this, I promise you. Yomi is still there for you, and I am too."

Tomo nodded in response, saying in a soft voice, "My parents usually sleep in on Sundays. I can sneak in and grab some clothes and come back here."

Yomi's mother went back to her seat across the island bar from Tomo, fixing the teenager with her serious gaze once more, "You _will_ have to go home eventually, though, Tomo."

Sliding from her stool, Tomo steeled herself, saying after a pensive moment, "I know." Her voice softened once more and she added, "Thanks, Mrs. Mizuhara" before heading down the hall towards Yomi's room.

Once inside the bedroom, Tomo shut the door quietly behind herself, looking down at Yomi's sleeping form on the bed. The clothes Tomo had worn the past night had been left strewn across the floor where she'd shed them, with help from Yomi. Inexplicably turning her back on Yomi out of modesty, Tomo stripped off the pajamas, reaching to grab her shirt from the floor.

Behind her Yomi stirred groggily, reaching automatically for her glasses and putting them on. Rolling onto her side and opening her eyes, Yomi was rewarded with a rather pleasant view of Tomo's backside as the girl gathered her clothes. Despite the enjoyable view, Yomi's eyes were drawn immediately to Tomo's left thigh, where a large purple-red bruise peeked out from the edge of her panties. Sitting up quickly, Yomi said in an alarmed voice, "Tomo, what happened to you?"

Jumping in surprise, Tomo nearly fell over as she whirled around to face Yomi, spouting, "What?" rapidly. The two stared at one another for a long moment, Tomo then quickly pulling on her shirt to cover herself.

Composing herself, Yomi pointed to Tomo's waist and said, "There's a big bruise on the back of your leg."

Reaching and opening the closet door, Tomo backed up to try to see the bruise in the full-length mirror hung from the inside of the door. After pulling the edge of her panties up to check the extent of the damage, Tomo then said in a sheepish voice, "I kind of slipped on some ice and fell on my butt last night."

Turning and flopping back on the bed with her legs hanging off the side, Yomi sighed in relief, her heart still racing from the momentary panic Tomo's injury sparked. She looked down at Tomo as the girl came towards her. Slowly, Tomo climbed up to straddle Yomi on the bed, resting over her stomach and saying, "I still need to thank you for coming and getting me last night…." Before Yomi could protest the apology their lips met in a passionate kiss.

When the kiss was finally broken, and the two had gathered their breath, Tomo moved back a bit, giving a quirky look to Yomi, "Hmm…You're just no good at kissing."

Frowning, Yomi shot back defensively, "How would you know?"

Looking away, Tomo smiled arrogantly, "I read an article in a magazine about it."

Yomi adjusted her glasses, her lips curling into a smirk, "Oh really, and what did it say?"

Turning back to Yomi, Tomo moved closer once more, "Well, for one, you're s'posed to go like this," then making an over-exaggerated puckering face.

Her smirk growing, Yomi nudged Tomo back, sitting up even with her, "Is that so?" Before Tomo could react, Yomi had brought a hand up and pinched her nose shut, Tomo's mouth opening reflexively as Yomi moved in, their lips meeting in a tight open-mouthed kiss. Unable to think of anything else, Tomo brought her hands up to Yomi's sides in surprise, trying to return the favor as she felt Yomi's tongue pressing against her's. After drawing the kiss out for as long as she could, Yomi finally broke away, releasing Tomo's nose, both trying to catch their breath.

In between breaths Yomi said in an exasperated tone, "That's…how you…kiss."

Sliding down Yomi's body and off the bed, Tomo got to her feet, still a bit winded, "We'll have to finish this after I run home and get some things."

Sitting up on the bed, Yomi said in a concerned voice, "What if your parents catch you?"

After pulling on her jeans and jacket Tomo stepped into her shoes, then turning and leaning down to plant a quick kiss on Yomi's lips, "They won't know I was ever there. Be back in a few minutes." With that, Tomo stepped over to the window, opening it and hopping out, not hearing Yomi calling to her as she jogged across the yard out to the sidewalk.

Going to the window to shut the curtains, Yomi sighed as she glanced out the window, mumbling, "You know, you can use the front door now."

Tomo hummed to herself as she walked home, looking her usual upbeat self with a spring in her step. As she came to her house Tomo didn't even bother checking the front door, instead heading into the open yard of the next house and using the neighbor's lawn furniture to hop the fence into her own backyard. The curtains in her room were still opened like she'd left them. The window was unlocked, thankfully for her, and with as little noise as possible she was inside. It took a few minutes of rummaging through her closet for her to find the duffel bag that had been bought for a vacation years ago. Several of her school uniforms were stuffed in first, followed by some casual clothes, then a few personal belongings from the floor where they lay after she'd knocked them off her desk the night before.

After giving a final look around her room to ensure she had what she needed, Tomo then opened the bedroom door quietly, creeping out to the bathroom and stepping in to grab her tooth and hair brushes before going back to her room. The last thing she gathered were her school books in their carry case.

As Tomo attempted to force the last book into the pack, the door behind her swung open suddenly. Twisting around in shock, Tomo stared at her mother who now stood in the doorway, arms crossed. From the state of her attire and hair, not to mention the livid grimace on her face, Tomo guessed her mother had barely slept the past night, if at all. She was almost sure she smelled alcohol as well.

In a condemning voice her mother said, "So, you decided to come home?"

Turning away from her mother and going back to forcing the book into the pack Tomo said in what she hoped was a nonchalant voice, "Only to get a few things, I'm going back to Yomi's."

A shrill burst of laughter sent a shiver up Tomo's spine, her mother then saying in an acidic voice, "Just like your father, running off to a girlfriend's house!"

Knowing she was showing weakness by doing it, Tomo risked looking back to her mother, mumbling, "Dad left?"

Another burst of ear-splitting laughter, followed by her mother adding, "Yes, he ran out, he couldn't stand having a _gay_ daughter. I hope you're happy."

Her face hardening, Tomo said, "I am," then turning and grabbing the duffel and school bag, heading over to the window. She ignored her mother's mocking voice as she climbed out of the window, shutting it much more harshly than needed behind her.

As she climbed the fence out of the yard, the last thing her mother had said still stung in her mind; "Yes, run away and leave your poor mother all alone." Things she wanted to say in response to her mother flooded Tomo's head as she walked back towards Yomi's house. She wished some of them had come to her while she had the chance. Two sentences, that's all she could manage to say to her mother.

Climbing back through the window into Yomi's house, Tomo found the bedroom empty. She dropped her bags on the bed that had been made during her absence, slipping off her shoes and jacket and quietly heading out of the room to take them to the tiny vestibule at the front of the house. As she came to the end of the hall, Tomo heard the voices of Yomi and Yomi's mother in the kitchen, as well as the sound of dishes being washed.

Pausing just around the corner, Tomo listened in on the conversation, fighting a pang of guilt for eavesdropping. She heard Yomi's mother's voice first, "I hope Tomo realizes what she's getting into with this."

"I think she does. I just hope she's ready for it…."

"A divorce is hard on everyone involved, especially children. I want you to remind her that if neither of her parents wants to have anything to do with her past what's required by law, she's welcome here. We'll be her family. Though, if she's going to stay here, she _will_ have to pull her weight and do chores."

"You're not going to throw all your chores on her, are you…?"

"I wouldn't think of it. Half is enough."

Around the corner Tomo smiled, feeling warm inside. She counted to ten, then marching out of the hall and said in a loud voice, "Okay, I'm back!" With a grin from seeing Yomi nearly drop the plate she was drying, Tomo took her jacket to hang by the door and plopped her shoes down in the box for them before heading back into the kitchen.

"Well, since you're here," Yomi said in an annoyed tone, "You can help with the dishes."

Still grinning, Tomo walked over and took a stack of dried plates, putting them away in their usual cabinet. Stopping from washing the dishes, Yomi's mother rinsed off her hands and dried them on a clean rag by the sink, then looking to the two girls, "If you two can finish up the dishes, I'll get started on vacuuming."

Both nodding in agreement, Yomi moved over to take over washing, Tomo grabbing up the rag for drying and folding it over, saying, "Okay, let's see how fast we can wash," earning a momentary glare from Yomi.

Yomi's mother left the room, and the two teenagers busied themselves with washing and drying the dishes. After a few quiet minutes, Tomo stopped drying abruptly, setting the last dish she was handed down in the sink, and moving to thrust her hands under Yomi's arms from behind, drawing her into a tight hug. From where her face was buried in Yomi's back, Tomo said in a barely audible voice, "I love you."

Confused by the sudden hug, Yomi could only look over her shoulder, saying back, "I love you too."

_The End.

* * *

_And here we are, at the point I fear I've failed at. I've never been good at ending my writings, and just have to cut myself off when I feel enough's been said. There's an epilogue to come after this, as I want one last look at how things panned out in the end.

I didn't realize until I was finishing up this chapter that Tomo's parents were based off the parents of a co-worker/friend of mine. Her mother likes to play the guilt card any time they have an argument, and her father only begrudgingly admits she's his daughter.

At this point I also ask myself where I'm going to go in writing from here. I'll be working on Warm Days, of course, but I've also been considering other story ideas to pursue. Currently the one that's foremost in my mind is a Full Metal Alchemist fanfic involving Winry and Schiezska, though that's going to have to wait until I've seen the last episode of the series.

_"Keep up the awsome job! I hope you don't plan on ending this story soon. You can take it so many places! can't wait for the next chap.!" _- RenegadePineapple

This is the best ending I could think of, and with the epilogue, I believe that's going to mark the end of Cold Nights. However, Warm Days should include some looks at Yomi and Tomo through Kagura's mind.

_"Hmm, I kinda noticed some mechanical errors in this chapter. Like there were some phrases that were not complete thoughts that were just added to other sentences. Semicolons help a lot. I love semicolons :)."_ - Rushia

I do love my comma splices. Probably my biggest failing where the English language is concerned. I'm better now about avoiding them than I used to be in high school, mostly because now I just plain avoid using commas if I'm not sure they're being used correctly. I'll try to make another close sweep through it and fix those, as I have with a few spelling and formatting errors in the earlier chapters.

_"im sorry i didn't have any time to read this but i did read the end and i'm mad because this isn't any thing like azu manga and if you think tomo and yomi would ever get together your confused any way"_ - mjwolf

Duly noted. Thank you for your illuminating comment.

_"This chapter was actually pretty nice. In my opinion it'd be good to see Tomo back IC. Let's face it, if she changes too much, she's no longer Tomo."_ - Detroy

I tried to get her back in-character a bit more in this last chapter, as well as in the epilogue. It's nice that I managed to get pathos out of her in what I feel is at least a half-decent manner, but I agree that she isn't Tomo without her hyperactivity happy-go-lucky attitude.

_"The whole Yomi/Tomo romance venture is very over used and often poorly writen but a reader who reads even one chapter of Cold Nights will have a revamped interest in the pair I'm sure. And the way you write their interactions with each other it's... Very real and more plausable than many other stories, it's not the basic girl meets girl, girls fall in, girls confess love, girls have romantic kiss (Or in some cases and some very perverted fanfictions I've come across) girls have hot, passionate and usually very kinky sex. But the way your're telling the story is very different although they still kiss and um fondle each other, their romance is believable because it could happen, right?"_ - Bailey0202

Thanks. The lack of realism in a lot of stories bugs me, and was part of the reason I wrote this fic in the first place. I like seeing plausible tellings of pairings, it's always more fun that way. And as far as kinky sex is concerned, I couldn't bring myself to put anything like that in this fic. It left a bad taste in my mouth the one scene like that I had considered including. I think a subtle reference to masturbation was far enough as far as pervertedness goes.

To all of you who left reviews that I didn't respond to directly, all I can say is, thank you for reading. It's been a fun ride that I'm sad has come to an end. Please stay tuned for the epilogue.

Coming up: Epilogue to Cold Nights.


	7. Cold Nights: Epilogue

I do not own the rights to nor am I in any way affiliated with _Azumanga Daioh_.

Author's Notes and replies to reviews are at the end of the chapter.

* * *

**Cold Nights**

Epilogue

It was an unseasonably warm January afternoon, the snow received at the end of December gone already, and many people taking advantage of the warm streak to shed their heavy winter jackets in favor of lighter clothes and minimum insulation. Yomi bid farewell to her co-workers in the pharmacy as she passed through the reception area to the front door. Donning her light jacket, Yomi meandered along the sidewalk in front of the pharmacy she worked in. She didn't like waiting on Tomo like this; there was no telling when the girl would show up.

As Yomi checked her watch for the third time, a hand clapped down on her shoulder, followed by a falsely deep voice saying, "Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to come down to the police station with me." Without showing any emotion in her face Yomi glanced over her shoulder to Tomo who stood behind her grinning and adding, "'Cause looking that hot's gotta be a crime."

With a sigh Yomi shrugged Tomo's hand off, shooting back, "The only crime here is that joke" as she started to walk. Still grinning Tomo quickly caught up and fell in step with her.

As they walked Tomo began fiddling with the necktie of her police woman's uniform, finally removing it and stuffing it into her pocket, saying, "I don't know why the Chief won't let me get one of those zip-on ties, it'd look just the same."

Yomi pressed the crosswalk button as they came to the intersection they had to pass through on the way to their destination. "I don't know how I kept from strangling you with the damn thing after having to tie it for two months straight until you learned how."

The light changed and they continued on, Tomo chuckling and saying, "You know you liked it just 'cause you got to be close to me."

The corner of her mouth tugging into a smile, Yomi replied, "Only the mornings you remembered to use mouthwash. And the days you didn't spend the whole time whining about not wanting to go to work." Yomi remembered well the day Tomo's police training was over, and how shattered she'd been to be stuck off as a dispatcher. Tomo's depression over her perceived failure to come anywhere near her dream of working for Interpol had almost begun to worry Yomi after a while.

Before she could do anything to intervene, however, things turned around when Tomo received a letter of thanks from a woman that had called from a car wreck, Tomo having to talk to her to keep her calm until an ambulance arrived. After that her ego about her job had become insufferable. Though Yomi would never admit the gloating over it amused her.

The street they walked along lead into a neighborhood, their childhood home. The two followed the same path they had taken so many times that lead them into the nearby shopping district, where their weekends as children had been spent. The place still looked much the same, though some stores had moved out, others had moved in, and there was a new generation of teenagers that flocked to it now.

The little restaurant with the famed udon near the end of the strip was the same: same almost-gaudy decorations, same semi-intimate atmosphere. Yomi smiled warmly, looking around as they were seated, seeing all the happy couples there, same as she had the very first time the two had come to the restaurant.

After they had given their drink orders to the waitress and received menus, Tomo motioned for the waitress to wait, pulling what looked like a leather wallet from her pocket and flipping it open to reveal the shiny badge inside. "Cops get a discount, don't they?"

Glancing to the badge, the waitress nodded, saying, "Of course, ma'am," before turning and heading for the kitchens. Tomo snapped the case shut and pushed it back into her breast pocket, smiling smugly.

Yomi sighed, "You know, that gets really embarrassing after a while." The badge wasn't technically real; dispatchers were not issued one, but it had seemed to mean a lot to Tomo, so Yomi had tracked down a replica for her as a birthday gift.

Her smug smile remaining, Tomo shot back, "Hey, I'm paying for this anniversary dinner."

With a slight smirk Yomi responded, "And asking for a discount says such nice things about our relationship." Taking up her menu, Yomi looked over the day's specials. Despite its contribution to the bad end of their first date, both Yomi and Tomo had agreed this restaurant was the perfect spot to eat at on their anniversaries.

After a few minutes of silent browsing the young waitress came back to their table with a basket of bread, setting it down and taking out a pad to write their orders on as they were given. With a smile and nod, the waitress scurried off once more, leaving the two to each other. Out of the blue, Tomo said, "Remind me to send cards to my mom and dad telling them we celebrated our fifth anniversary."

Sliding down in her chair a bit, the slight smirk returned to Yomi's face, "That's also getting embarrassing. How many more years are you going to keep that up?"

With a shrug, Tomo picked a piece of bread from the basket to nibble on, "As long as my mom keeps sending those stupid marriage package thingies."

Yomi continued to smirk, taking a piece of bread for herself. Not long after they had their own apartment had the first package arrived. It was a fairly discreet manila envelope addressed to Tomo. Inside had been a whole dossier of information on a young man that had been in their class in high school. Apparently Tomo's mother had been to a meeting where parents gathered and tried to hook their children up in hopes they would marry.

A comfortable silence settled between the two, only broken when the waitress returned with their orders. The meal was continued in silence, the two simply appreciating the other's company. The first year of their relationship had been spent attempting to do something, anything, together at any chance. Since then both had come to find that being together was good enough, and that anything more was simply a bonus.

Not long after both had finished their dinner the waitress returned with their bill. After Tomo paid for the meal the couple found themselves back outside, walking at a leisurely pace. The path they took idly lead them back towards the apartment complex they lived in. Tomo clasped her hands together behind her head, yawning and saying, "Want to go to a bar? We should have a drink for our anniversary."

Yomi shrugged, "We still have the bottle of wine Chiyo sent us for Christmas." Even after the past few years they'd been together Yomi was still hesitant to take Tomo to a bar for any special occasions. She didn't want to risk going through a repeat of Tomo's twenty-first birthday, that ended with Yomi keeping the girl company on the bathroom floor as Tomo endured a horrible hangover.

When they arrived at their apartment Yomi took out her keys, unlocking the door and opening it for Tomo. As soon as she was inside Tomo went to dig the bottle of wine out of the back of the cupboard above the refrigerator. Yomi stepped out of her shoes, hanging her coat on one of the hooks by the door, then going to sit at the squat table that took up a good amount of the floor space in the small apartment.

After a few minutes of fruitless searching for a corkscrew Tomo opted for a kitchen knife to remove the cork from the wine bottle. After wrestling with the bottle of several minutes she finally came to sit across the table from Yomi, filling two glasses from the bottle and sliding one across the table to Yomi. Then taking up her glass, Tomo grinned and said, "A toast to five years together, and five years of great sex."

Rolling her eyes, Yomi lifted her glass to humor Tomo, adding in, "A toast to five years together, and hopefully many more to come." Both then took a sip simultaneously, smiling across the table at each other.

The bottle of wine quickly disappeared leaving nothing but its dregs. Most of the wine had gone into Tomo, who seemed to be trying to gulp it down as quickly as she could, against Yomi's warnings. With her elbow on the table, Yomi rested her chin in her hand, smiling slightly as Tomo swayed and attempted to refill her glass from the bottle. After Tomo had held the bottle upside down and shook it fruitlessly for several minutes, Yomi finally took pity, coaxing the bottle from Tomo's hand and taking it along with their emptied glasses to set in the kitchen sink.

Tomo was flopped over the table half asleep when Yomi returned. After sliding Tomo off the table to lay on the floor, Yomi tipped it on end and slid it to its resting-place against the wall, then pulling out and unfolding their futon. The effort it took to wrestle Tomo out of her clothes dissuaded Yomi from trying to get her into pajamas. Instead, she shed her own clothes, coaxing Tomo onto the futon.

Sliding onto the futon beside Tomo, Yomi watched as Tomo mumbled softly in her sleep. Sighing, Yomi removed her glasses, setting them on the floor above her head before saying in a low voice, "You're an idiot." After a moment of silence she leaned down, kissing Tomo's forehead and snuggling up to her as she added, "But you're my idiot." As much as Yomi had tried to deny it, no matter how she cut it, she was, and always would be, totally crazy about Tomo.

_End Epilogue._

* * *

And there you have it. Sorry for the delay, school and work began to really bite down on me near the end of the semester. This epilogue isn't particularly long or story driven, it was just something I felt I needed to add to make the fic complete. I'm proud of this just because it's one of the few written works I've actually seen through all the way to the end. I get stalled so often and switch to another idea it leaves a trail of fragments of stories I keep saying I'll go back and flesh out but never do.

Still on the rack is Warm Days, which I'm hoping I can add more to soon. Other than that, I still have ideas for several other pairings I'd like to write about. Rei and Asuka from Neon Genesis Evangelion has been added to the stack since I've begun watching NGE on Adult Swim. I think I want to see Full Metal Alchemist through to the end one more time before I start planning out the Winry/Schiezska fic.

I had fun writing this, and am glad to see so many people liked it. Hopefully I'll see you all again on my next writing endeavor.

_"Well, this has been a great story and i hope to see more from you in the future. Though i wish you to write about an anime/ Manga that i have seen all the way or partaily through, like Cafe Alpha, Marabuho, chobits, Edens, Bowe Utena, but no matter what you choose to write about next i am sure to injoy it even if i don't understand the backround information." _- hagancameron

Thanks. I'm afraid I haven't heard of any of the anime you listed save for Chobits. Still, I like fics that don't lose too much from a reader not having seen the source material. I don't know how good I did keeping to that, but I tried either way.

_"I always have a hard time ending stories too. But you do have a good spot to end it. Tomo's in a happy place now. Her and Yomi are together and Yomi's mom is supportive. It's great. I like how you have them kiss. It adds to the chemistry in a special way. It's not just "kiss" and no special feelings. You definitely give it a kick."_ - writer-jm

Yeah, I liked the kiss near the end too. That part had originally been a wrestling match instigated by Tomo. And yeah, it really was the end of the story. All the plots were resolved, it just needed tying off.

_"NO No No No NO NO NOT THE END! How can you do that, well at least promise a endering fan that you will write another! PLEASE! I am a huge fan now! You style flows soo well I absoultly love it!"_ - Atheist wat dat! (Anonymous?)

Sorry, but I don't want to risk drawing it out. Not to get hopes up over nothing, but if I ever do have an idea to add, I'd consider a sequel.

_"Ah yes, lovely as always. So the end is finally near; endings are always so bittersweet. Anyway, with any other story, the way Tomo's family situation was kind of solved would have been way too sudden and non-realistic, but you presented it in a way that worked very well on your part; especially since endings truly are one of the hardest parts to write in a story(you always feel like you have to write more, you know?)._

Also, as a straight person and a favorer of straight couples, I appreciate that there were no hardcore sex scenes or anything like that(not that I'm against gay couples); especially since throwing those in would kind of kill the story.

So now there is only the epilogue and the rest of Warm Days. My women's intuition tells me that Kagura is going to have some serious confusion/emo moments about the whole Nyamo thing. Heh, well, all that is up to you." - Rushia

Yeah, something like your parents going through a divorce just doesn't resolve itself overnight, and it bugs me when stories try to tie something like that up when the full timeline of the story is just a few days or even weeks (I think the whole story of Cold Nights takes place over just a week, with the epilogue jumping to 5 years later.).

I don't really like hardcore sex scenes in anything, it usually just destroys the story and makes it feel trashy. Sex scenes can be done in a much more tasteful light, it can even have a few details shown while remaining tasteful. I think some people just use sex scenes for the sake of shock value. Assuming I don't decide to cut some upcoming parts of Warm Days, they'll be the most "sexually explicit" thing I've written, though most are just slightly lurid and the others a paragraph or two long and done with humor in mind.

And yes, Kagura's got some confusing and angsty moments coming up, which I'm still trying to flesh out.

_"This story was nice. Maybe not the most inventive or in-charcter story ever, but it was good. What is in charcter though is a matter of opinion, I think some people forget that. Overall, very nice effort."_ - J-Syxx

Yeah, it's not really that plausible to stay **totally **in-character with a fanfic. Generally you're blazing a trail through new ideas and plot developments and just have to guess at how the characters would act and react based on how they do in the original work.

_" Continue... if not, I have a shotgun, a shovel and 5 acres behind my house..."_ - questionmarkX4'n'Mr.Mental

I'm from Mississippi. You couldn't live here if you couldn't take down a crazed hick that's wielding a shotgun and a shovel.

_"It's nice to see an author who can write. Well, that may have come out slightly wrong. An author who can write without making you want to smash the computer."_ - Hoppy-Chan

Not to sound full of myself, but authors that made me want to smash my computer were a big force powering this fic, just for the "Oh come on, I could do better than this!" factor. Not to step on any toes, I've seen plenty of fics by good authors that I really liked, but all of the good fics swim in a sea of bad ones.

To all others who reviewed that I didn't respond to, all I can say is, thanks for reading, I'm glad you enjoyed the fic. See you on the flipside.


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